Hi Brenda,
Here are a few things I found in Ray's articles.
http://bible-truths.com/lake9.html ------------------------
"and when the devil had ended all the temptation [Gk: testing], he departed from Him for a season [Gk: until an opportune time]" (Luke 4:13).
So Satan left our Lord only for the moment. However, Satan would be at the heels of Jesus wherever He went. After attacking Jesus, Satan attacked His head Apostle, but only Jesus recognized whom it really was talking through His apostle:
"But He turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, SATAN..." (Matt. 16:23).
And again, Satan leaves, but only "for a season." Some might wonder why Jesus wouldn’t just command him to leave and never, ever return again? Because, Satan is needed. Satan was created for the very purpose that he fulfills.
Jesus tells us in a parable that wherever His Word is heard, Satan is there to do his dirty work:
"And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown, but when they have heard, SATAN comes immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in the hearts" (Mark 4:15).
I have no doubt but that this is happening right now to some who are reading this Series on the Lake of Fire. Some will see in their heart that these things I am teaching from the Scriptures must be true, but quickly Satan plants doubts and visions of persecution in their minds, and so some will immediately reject these grand truths because of Satan’s influence over their carnal minds. Satan is a very powerful spirit being.
This is not a ‘one time only’ parable by Jesus. This parable is true every single time that God’s Word is preached. Satan is always there to "take away" God’s words of Truth from the heart of the hearer. This parable is just as true today as it was two thousand years ago when Christ first gave it. Wherever the Word of God is being heard, there will be Satan also.
http://bible-truths.com/lake15-C.html --------------------
“And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan [referring back to Beelzebub introduced by the Pharisees] cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?” (Matt. 12:25-26).
Satan never was a cherub possessing free will; neither does he now have free will. Satan is a creature that obeys the commands of his Creator and never talks back. Whenever Jesus told Satan to “get thee behind Me,” Satan got behind Him (Matt. 16:23, Mark 8:33, Luke 4:
. When God said he could go so far and no further in the trial of Job, then that’s precisely how far he went and no further. When Jesus told Satan “get thee hence… then the devil leaves Him…” (Matt. 4:10). Satan has no “free will” to resist.
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6904.0.html ----------
Ray,
Who is the Devil; is he out there?where? I hear a many teachers speaking of the devil 'out-there' can you please tell me where is 'out-there'...?
Thank you....
Dear Liz: "Out there" is up and down in the earth:
Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Satan was with Christ in the wilderness. Satan was influencing Peter. Satan entered Judas, and he is "like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour" (I Pet. 5:
.
God be with you,
Ray
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Think about Satan as a spirit being, traveling about in the heavens of our minds. I do not know of any Scripture that says Satan can read our thoughts, but he knows if he has been sucessful in influencing us by our words or actions. You know how you get a bad thought out of the blue, where do they come from? I think it is Satan purpose to sway/influence us and bring out our carnal nature, that then can be judged. See how this Scripture speaks of Satan;
Acts 5:3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan
filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
We have to be aware that we have to guard our thoughts, as that is where it all begins. If we do not nip it in the bud it will ultimately lead to words or actions. It is indeed a spiritual battle of the mind we are in.
2Cor 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
v. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
v. 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
When the disciples reported back to Jesus that they could cast out demons, He said "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." Isn't he talking about them casting out demons from the heaven of their minds?
Luke 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
v. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Well this is just some thoughts I put together from what I could see in the Scriputure, hope it helps.
mercy, peace and love
Kat