Hi Gina,
So, Matt's asking, "Who is the serpent?" And that describes the serpent somewhat, but what does that tell us really about how to recognize satan should he show up to dine on us? How do we recognize him? Or recognize his off-spring? Would "knowing 'them' by their fruit" be fitting here?
Satan is spirit, he is in heaven and he is invisible, so are his demon cohorts. The way he deal with mankind is by tempting us... have you ever had an evil thought just pop into your head? What about being angry and somehow it builds and just grows out of control? Just maybe sometimes those wrong thoughts or that lack of self control get a big boost from somewhere.
We are creatures of habit and if we are tempted in the wrong direction and we go with it enough times then we develop a bad habit. Can you see how Satan invisible hand can have a very active role in causing wrong behavior without our even being aware of it? We need to think about where that little voice we hear (in our head) is coming from.
The Holy Spirit indwelling is a very big help to make us aware when these wrong thoughts, words or actions take place, it will not allow us to be okay with these things. The Holy Spirit will cause our spirit to be toubled and disturbed by these things that we will eventually stop doing them. But it takes time it is a process.
Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Here is part of the article 15 where Ray speaks about Satan a bit.
http://bible-truths.com/lake15-C.html --------------
THE KINGDOMS OF SATAN AND HIS ROLE AS ADVERSARY
A note of great importance: Why didn’t God personally, and directly bring all of these trials and calamity of evils upon Job? Why did God USE Satan? Or is this just another case of God “allowing” Satan to test Job? We shall soon see how much God “allows” in the Scriptures, and it will shock most people when they learn the Truth.
At the start of this paper we learned that Satan (Beelzebub) has a “kingdom.” And that it involves the spiritual realm of demons and devils.
But Satan rules over far more than just the realm of demons. Lets learn a few more Truths that have been hidden from the eyes of Christendom.
Did God really, merely, allow Satan to try Job? God will reveal to our spirit many many spiritual truths of paramount importance if we will read His word and BELIEVE WHAT WE READ.
“And the Lord said unto Satan…” (Job 1:7).
“And the Lord said unto Satan…” (Job 1:08).
“And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he has is in THY power; only upon himself put not forth your hand. So Satan went…”(Job.1:12).
Now really, is this whole scenario something that Satan thought up? Is this something that God is just “allowing?” Be honest. God set this whole thing up from the beginning. GOD goaded Satan into a negative response. GOD pushed Satan to find an excuse for Job “eschewing evil.” GOD set up this trial. GOD commissioned Satan to bring evil against Job. GOD instructed Satan as to just how far that evil could extend. THIS WAS ALL OF GOD!
But God does not work this way with all mankind, seeing that God is a respecter of persons and God changes His overall approach to the trying of mankind, doesn’t He? I speak as a fool:
All mankind:
“An experience of evil God has given to the sons of humanity [that’s everyone] to humble them by it” (Ecc. 1:13).
A respecter of persons:
“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34).
God changes:
“For I am the LORD, I change not…” (Mal. 3:6).
No, God CAUSED and USED Satan in the trying of Job.
Did God merely “allow” Satan to try Jesus Christ our Lord?
“Then was Jesus led up of the SPIRIT [of GOD] into the wilderness [This is the Spirit of God leading Jesus up into the wilderness. But why? For what purpose?] to be tempted [Gk: ‘tested’] OF THE DEVIL [Satan, Ver. 10]” (Matt. 4:1).
Is this not the very same thing we read concerning Job; that he was “tested of God” through the vessel of Satan?
“But He knows the way that I take: when He [God] has tried me [Hebrew: ‘tested me’]” (Job 23:10).
Satan has a kingdom. Jesus said he has a kingdom. Jesus Himself created all of those “powers and principalities” and kingdoms:
“For by Him [Jesus] were ALL things created that are in heaven [we covered this part earlier] and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions [Greek: ‘rulers’], or principalities, or powers…” (Col. 1:16).
Notice that Jesus created “dominions—RULERS.” Are we told anywhere specifically who or what these “rulers” are?
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the RULERS of the darkness…” (Eph. 6:12).
The Greek word translated “rulers” in Strong’s Greek Dictionary is “#2888, kosmo [from #2889, the world] krator [from #2902 to seize/strength], a world ruler an epithet of Satan” (Strong’s p. 143-144).
“A WORLD RULER”! An epithet of SATAN! Wow! Where have we seen this before? This word kosmokrator—A WORLD RULER—an epithet of Satan is used nowhere else in the entire Bible but in Eph. 6:12, and refers to no one else except Satan. And rightly so: after all, how many “world rulers” can there be?
There is only ONE “ruler of this world” and it is SATAN!
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mercy, peace and love
Kat