What or Who Is “the Devil”? How Can We Resist the Devil?

What or Who Is “the Devil”?

If the answer seems obvious to you, I encourage you to think and study scripture deeper. When it is rigorously and honestly studied, it is not as clear as we may think. And there is much debate among those who spend their careers doing just that. Much of what we think of the devil has more to do with mythology and superstition than solid scriptural underpinnings. Specifics regarding satan and the demonic are not well defined, and we, in good scholarship, should hold understanding loosely and not be dogmatic. What there is available often raises more questions than it answers.

And God, in inspiring scriptural texts and directing the canon of scripture, did not seem to find specifics on satan or the demonic particularly important, otherwise those details would have been made clearer. Going beyond what the text expressly does or does not state is conjecture and personal opinion. And, while it is fine to speculate, we must treat it as speculation, not dogma. Note, neither the Apostle’s Creed nor the Nicene Creed, the bedrock of orthodoxy, even mention the devil, the demonic, heaven, or hell. While the creeds are not equivalent to God’s word, they do indicate a mindset or set of priorities that the early church held in focus.

Keeping all this in mind, what follows is a non-exhaustive survey. Probably the most detailed rendering of the names of “the devil” is from Revelation 12:9, which says:

The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

(NRSVUE, emphasis added)

Note: This passage does not say that satan was/is an angel specifically but rather that his angels (Greek angeloi: messengers, envoys, ones who are sent) were thrown down with him. It is important that we do not create doctrines on one or two isolated passages. The idea of fallen angels and postulating what comprises the demonic comes from one passage in particular (Rev. 12:4), where the dragon’s “tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth” (KJV). I believe that this description is poetic and with politically cloaked language regarding a very particular period past (not future) that goes way beyond the scope of this study. 

Great dragon is from the Greek word drakōn, simply meaning a dragon, a great serpent, a name for satan. 

That ancient serpent is from the Greek word ophis, meaning snake or serpent, which for the ancients was an emblem of cunning and wisdom. The serpent who deceived Eve was regarded by the Jews as the devil. 

The great dragon and ancient serpent were called the devil, satan, and the deceiver of the whole world. 

The word devil is from the Greek word diabolos, which means false accuser, slanderer, or calumniator. In breaking down dia-bolos: dia means passing through while bolos means a bubble or ball. This is a passing or casting through: dividing, bringing down, or destroying through accusation. 

The term satan (I refuse to honor him/it with a capitalized letter) is from the Greek word satanas, which means adversary or prince of evil spirits.

The wording deceiver of the whole world is actually a verb, which describes what the devil does; deceiving, leading astray, seducing, wandering, roaming, and causing to err.

This attribute of satan can be seen clearly in Genesis 3:1–3, where the serpent is described as craftier than any other wild animal. He asks Eve a question that sets her up to question God and His goodness. In Genesis 3:4, he gets bolder in addressing what God said, blatantly lying and accusing God of holding out on Eve:

But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 

Note: This wouldn’t have happened if she had shut the serpent’s hiss down and refused to engage any further – an excellent lesson for us!

Note also, in Genesis 3:15, that the consequences of the fall is that there would be enmity (or seething, unquenchable hostility) between Eve and the serpent and between her Seed, Christ, and the serpent’s offspring (?demons, ?lies, or ?those following him/it). Christ would crush satan’s head (a picture of Christ obliterating all of satan’s authority), and he would strike Christ’s heel (go after His kids and seek to filet Him open on the cross when Christ became sin).

Jesus said in John 8:44 (referring to Jews who were bent on killing him and identifying Abraham not God/Christ as their father): 

You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

(NRSVUE, emphasis added)

Let’s be clear, only God has created human beings – the devil, is NOT a creator! When Jesus is talking about the devil as a father, He is talking about misled humans bent on murder or destruction because they believe lies and are led astray and follow the devil. The people whom Jesus is speaking to in this interaction are part of God’s chosen people, they are descendents of Abraham and God’s kids, but they are living a lie – misled, lost, and depraved. Of importance, Jesus describes the devil as a murderer with no truth in him – a liar who “fathers” lies (not kids). 

Beelzebub (or lord of flies) is another name for satan (Matt. 10:25; 12:24,27). It is a derisive term and can be understood as lord of tricks or trickster. This is another attribute of the demonic. The context of this term being used was when Jesus was accused (see that term again) of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub. The enemy or accuser was accusing Christ through the Pharisees of being in league with the devil – so ironic and insulting!

Some more clues come from Luke 10:17–19, where seventy of Jesus’s disciples came back from ministering: 

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

(NKJV, emphasis added)

Note, demons were subject to the disciples by Jesus giving the disciples His authority, like He has given us His authority as his followers. Remember,  satan fell from heaven like lightning, and we have power from/through Christ to trample on demonic entities and be kept completely safe. 

2 Corinthians 11:14 brings out the deceiver/trickster attribute of satan:

And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

(NIV, emphasis added)

So, with all this, while we have clues, we don’t know exactly what satan or the demonic is. 

I love Brian Zahnd’s definition of the devil being: 

Greater than a principle or metaphor, but less than a person. The satanic is a psycho-spiritual phenomenon.

And get a load of what Brad Jersak’s nine-year-old son grabbed ahold of when he was getting revelation from God:¹

Demons are created by humans out of the ashes of war, the tears of those who are afraid, and the stuff that people want that doesn’t belong to them, then they take on a life of their own and turn on you and torment you.

Wow – out of the mouths of babes!

Whatever satan is, maintaining our victory over the demonic will come from studying and knowing Christ intimately and glancing at the enemy when he/it crosses our path. Minister Jerry Savelle said something to the effect that we must gaze at Jesus and glance at satan. 

Yes, and amen!

How Can We Resist the Devil?

Standing on God’s Promises

In order to resist the devil, we must learn to stand on the promises of God. This means knowing, in our minds and in our hearts, what God has said in scripture (rightly interpreted) and directly to us (rightly interpreted) and then speaking that truth in the face of the enemy’s lies. When we are faced with temptation or attacks from the enemy, we can declare the promises of God over our lives and trust in His faithfulness to fulfill them.

Using the Name of Jesus

The name of Jesus is powerful and has the authority to overcome all the power of the enemy (see Luke 10:17; Rom. 14:11,19; Eph. 1:19–21). When we use the name of Jesus, we are declaring our allegiance to Him and His victory over sin, death, and the devil (see Rom. 6:23, 8:2; 1 Cor. 5:25–26; Heb. 2:14). We can use the name of Jesus to rebuke the enemy and his attacks, knowing that he must flee at the mention of His name (see James 4:7, 1 Pet. 5:8–9).

Putting on the Armor of God

In Ephesians 6:10–18, we are instructed to put on the full armor of God in order to stand against the schemes of the devil. This armor includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God, Christ as the Word, and scripture rightly interpreted).

By putting on the armor of God, we are equipping ourselves for battle and protecting ourselves from the enemy’s attacks. Each piece of armor represents a different aspect of our faith and helps us to stand firm in the face of spiritual warfare.

Paul uses the imagery of armor here to help us grab ahold of the spiritual: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, Holy Spirit/Christ, and rightly interpreted scripture. Use the imagery as a handle to help grab ahold of it all, but there is nothing magical about literally putting on armor. And as you learn to rest in Christ, you can operate fully armed and don’t have to do some sort of religious calisthenics to be protected. I say this because I used to have my kids put on their armor every day, and then I’d freak out if we missed a piece of armor or skipped a day, thinking there was a twenty-four-hour statute of limitations on God’s protection. All this was bearing more witness to my fearfulness and immaturity (instead of me resting in faith when it came to God’s protection for my kids). I had a lot of healing and growth to do, and if that is where you find yourself, that is okay. But know that there is a greater rest and freedom that God is bringing you into. You simply do not have to live in fear – perfect Love has cast it out (see 1 John 4:17–18). And as you follow Holy Spirit, you will heal and grow in this.

Key Takeaways:

While the Bible offers various clues about the “devil,” it doesn’t provide a clear and definitive explanation of its nature and origins. The terms used, like “devil,” “satan,” “deceiver,” and “ancient serpent,” paint a picture of an entity characterized by deception, accusation, and opposition to God. However, the specific details remain ambiguous and continue to be debated among theologians.

Instead of fixating on the intricacies of the devil, the passage emphasizes focusing on studying and knowing Christ for true victory over evil. This understanding resonates with the concept of perfect love casting out fear (1 John 4:17-18). By deepening our connection with Christ through scripture and prayer, we cultivate the spiritual strength and discernment to resist the devil’s influence.

Action Steps:

1. Immerse yourself in scripture and prayer: Dedicating time to studying the Bible and cultivating a consistent prayer life strengthens your understanding of God’s character and equips you with the spiritual tools necessary to navigate challenges.
2. Stand firm on God’s promises: When faced with temptation or spiritual attacks, actively remind yourself of God’s unwavering promises found in scripture. Declare these promises with conviction, trusting in His faithfulness to see them fulfilled in your life.
3. Embrace the armor of God: As described in Ephesians 6:10-18, the “armor of God” represents various spiritual attributes like truth, righteousness, faith, and the Word of God. By metaphorically putting on this armor, you symbolically equip yourself for spiritual warfare and gain protection against the enemy’s schemes.
4. Cultivate perfect love: Remember, the Bible teaches that perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:17-18). As you deepen your relationship with Christ and experience His love, anxieties about the devil will diminish, allowing you to live in greater peace and freedom.

Remember, these steps are not one-time actions but ongoing practices that contribute to your spiritual growth and empower you to resist the influence of evil in your life.

I trust this has been enlightening and helpful for you. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

XO,

Catherine

In order to have a strong and fulfilling relationship with God, it’s crucial to be able to hear from Him. By listening to God, He can provide guidance and help us resist the devil’s temptations, as well as stand firm in His promises. If you’re struggling to hear from God, don’t worry! Catherine has written a book called “How to Hear from God” that can help you start winning every battle. Don’t wait any longer – order your copy today and start building a stronger relationship with God!

Source:

1. “The Satan and Demons with Brad Jersak / Transcript,” Seth Price, September 21, 2020, Can I Say This at Church podcast, CanISayThisAtChurch.com, https://www.canisaythisatchurch.com/transcripts/2020/9/19/the-satan-and-demons-with-brad-jersak-transcript, accessed February 20, 2024.