Let’s say it plainly: the devil is real.
We’ve all been appalled at things we’ve seen . . . violence, anger, cruelty, hate. You can’t read the headlines or get on social media without seeing something that turns your stomach.
I hate the devil.
I see hurting people, and I hate him for causing their pain. I sit with a cancer patient, or comfort a grieving family, and I hate him all the more for the tears he stirs up. And often his work isn’t loud. He works quietly through despair, resentment, addiction, anxiety, and that creeping numbness that makes people give up on hope.
Most of the time he doesn’t show up with fangs and fire. He shows up as doubt, distraction, compromise, or a slow drift away from Christ.
And, of course, I hate him for what he’s doing to you and me . . . for our constant struggles, for the lies he convinces us to accept (even when we know better).
Please keep reading, because this story has a happy ending—all stories involving God do. But we tend to forget that Satan’s working, and that’s exactly what he wants.
He’s working in you, especially if you’re trying hard to follow Christ. He stirs up resentment in your heart, tries to make you suspicious of the people who love you most, and constantly whispers that holiness isn’t worth the effort. He craves your kids, and he’d do anything to steal their hearts while they’re young. He’s trying to drive a wedge between you and your spouse, because joyful marriages choke out his work.
He’s slithering between the pews at every church, hoping he can persuade everyone not to take this Jesus thing too seriously. He doesn’t mind attendance, and singing and praying don’t really bother him either. Just don’t get on fire for the Lord—he hates that.
Scripture calls him “the deceiver of the whole world” and “the accuser of our brothers” (Revelation 12:9-10). But here’s the good news: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). And John reminds us, “he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
The cross already broke his back. Jesus disarmed the forces of evil and stripped them of their power (Colossians 2:15). Satan may still roar, but he’s living on borrowed time. Respect him because he’s dangerous. Hate him because he’s evil. But don’t fear him, because the Spirit within you terrifies him.
Stand firm, resist by the Spirit’s strength, and remember: the risen Lord has already guaranteed his defeat.
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