Does Satan know we exist?

[The Top Crusader]

Well more to the point, I mean, yeah, you can assume demonic influence all you want and its not something you sound underestimate, but I'm hesitant to just assume mentally ill people or people hopped up on drugs are having undue demonic activity when they are scientifically having hallucinations due to their condition.

[ric]

Well more to the point, I mean, yeah, you can assume demonic influence all you want and its not something you sound underestimate, but I'm hesitant to just assume mentally ill people or people hopped up on drugs are having undue demonic activity when they are scientifically having hallucinations due to their condition.

Perhaps hallucinations that are somewhat influenced by the supernatural.

[The Top Crusader]

Perhaps but there isn't any real reason to believe that, generally... hallucinations are natural.

[Termite]

Hallucinations are naturally, but the mind is so wired and vulnerable... *shrugs* I would say sometimes yes, and sometimes no. It would depend on what happened in the hallucination.

[Taq]

Is Satan the direct cause of all bad things that exist? No.

• Bad things result because of our bad choices.
  Bad things result because of other people’s bad choices.
  Bad things result because we live in a fallen world.

Is Satan the direct cause of many bad things that exist? Yes.

• Peter makes it clear that the devil wants to devour us.

  "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

  Paul makes it clear that the devil and evil spiritual forces are scheming against us.

  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

  In Luke 22:3 and John 13:27, Satan "entered" Judas Iscariot just prior to the betrayal of Jesus.
  
  Jesus calls Satan the “prince of this world” in John 12:31, John 14:30, and John 16:11. I think the term refers to limited authority vs. Jesus' absolute authority.
  
  Jesus has harsh words for his opponents.

  You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

  Who does he want to murder and lie to?
  
  Jesus’ longest prayer in the Bible is recorded in John 17. In it, Jesus takes time to pray that believers are protected from Satan.

  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.

  Jesus would not have prayed for protection if we did not need it!

What is our response to all of this? See Ephesians 6:10-20.

• Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
  Put on the full armor of God.
  Be alert.
  Pray.

[Catspaw]

I had the vague thought that I should take the time to make a good post in this thread, but I see that Taq has made that entirely unnecessary! I will only add that we have the comfort of knowing that Satan is still held within some limits by God, who is still the one who has the ultimate power in the universe and who will one day lock him away forever. Even the bad things that are happening can be used by God as part of a bigger plan to bring more people to Him.

[jelly]

Taq, in your list of reasons for why 'bad things' happen, where is the allowance for an understanding that God, in fact, has an attribute of wrath and discipline? The general consensus here doesn't seem willing to accept that it is perhaps God himself who causes events that we would perceive to be 'bad' in order to react according to his perfect nature, or as a 'plot devise' to build a big picture that we have no physical way of fully perceiving. It's incredibly easy to blame all our struggles and sorrow on Satan or a 'fallen world', not giving God any of the credit for having reasons to discipline his people. The Old Testament repeatedly tells stories where God poured out His wrath on people as a response to sin. We all sin. Why do we blame consequences and bad things on 'safe' bets?

[The Top Crusader]

Because God mellowed out after He had a kid, dude.

[jelly]

lame. >_>

edit: Actually, I love how nobody's responded. My theory is that a large percentage of the church is scared to approach the topic of God's wrath, or they try to dismiss it as something restricted to the 'Old Testament God'. Funny how we like to define God in whatever ways suit us best.

[Aeva]

I'll play devil's advocate, if you like. (Well, I will attempt to, at least. I'm terrible at these sorts of things lol.)

I readily agree that God's wrath is very real and will be poured out on earth during the Tribulation. However, I do not believe that God will ever pour His wrath out on us, His children. (For the record, as you probably guessed, I believe in a pre-Trib rapture, but that's a completely different debate. ) Yes, He disciplines us, but I don't believe that He disciplines us the way He did in the Old Testament. We live under the New Covenant, which, imho, is a game-changer. He no doubt allows bad things to happen to us when we walk away from Him because we have left His divine protection, but I don't believe He causes negative situations just to "teach us a lesson" or something.

....How was that?

[Christian A.]

lame. >_>

edit: Actually, I love how nobody's responded. My theory is that a large percentage of the church is scared to approach the topic of God's wrath, or they try to dismiss it as something restricted to the 'Old Testament God'. Funny how we like to define God in whatever ways suit us best.

Actually, I was very happy with what you said. I totally agree with you, for once. I just didn't want to get involved in the debate.

[CreativeThinker101]

IDK... Satan could know we exist, I suppose, but It's also possible he could be a bit unaware of who we are. I'm just not sure.

[Wooton Z. Bassett]

Satan knows we exist. Just read Job. It explains it.

[John Chrysostom]

Read the thread before you post, the book of Job was brought up and there was a discussion. If you want to add to the discussion then read what was said and add to it.