Satan Is a Defeated Foe: Yet He Still Roars

God desires wholehearted devotion and willing minds from His people – both for our good and for His glory – one never surpassing the other. This equips us to stand firm in all His will mature and fully assured when the devil desires to devour. Many of us do not perceive the danger of his temptations and remain unaware of his wiles until the “house” is on fire. Peter tells us we are to be alert so that we might discover his ways early on and not be wounded or taken by surprise by his deceiving cunning. He is indeed a snake but seeks to present as an angel of light.  

There are two things which actively unite in temptation – Satan and our bents, leanings and lusts – and the adversary is a very good study of us. Honestly, it is not that hard as we are very often easy reads. He knows our leanings as we so obviously demonstrate them and he seeks to get us to go to the extremes – using this against God as it shows the world (or at least to ourselves) what our true love really is. We become too wrapped up in our desires and not in God’s. We begin believing our “own press”, following our own agendas and neglecting God’s will and His ways. Loving the world more than the Father. 
 
God gives us all things to enjoy yet we often cross the line of being consumed by these giftings. James states it like this in James 4:4-10 (NIV): “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture tells us: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:4-10 (NIV)

Remember, Satan is not our friend any more than our lusts, and he always uses our sins as a bridge to worse grounds. That is why Scripture tells us to flee from sin as you would a serpent. It is never for our good. Sin and Satan are our enemies - and even self can be. We are to keep our accounts short with the Lord and flee to the foot of the cross for both forgiveness and protection. If Satan cannot keep a believer from being saved, he certainly seeks to keep them from being used. The safest place on earth to be is standing firm in God’s will, mature and fully assured.