Biblical Q&A – Should Christians Rebuke Satan?

James 4:7: “…Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Luzifer (Lucifer) painting by Franz von Stuck 1890 National Gallery in Sofia

James 4:7: “...Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

In this week of “The Inevitable Truth’s Biblical Q&A” we explore how Christians should respond to Satan. Is the Devil real? What powers does he have? And, how should we respond to him?

“The devil made me do it” and other comedic remarks diminish the true evil and power of the person of Satan.

Yes, he is a real personal entity with intelligence, will, and power. In fact, Satan is the fourth character introduced in the Bible. The very first verse of Genesis 1:1 introduces the triune God, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Here, the Hebrew word used for “God” is “אֱלֹהִים” (Elohim), which is a plural noun inferring the Trinity. Of course, subsequently, both Adam and Eve are introduced, and then in Genesis 3:1, Satan himself is introduced when it states, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden”?’”

Of course, the Bible defines the character and purpose of Satan in John 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies,” and John 10:10 states his purpose, “The thief [Satan] comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Satan is quite intent on his efforts, and 1 Peter 5:8 even warns, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

The Bible is clear then: Satan is real; he is a liar, thief, and murderer; his purpose is to steal God’s offer of abundant life, and He prowls like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.

How, then, does Satan respond to the unsaved and to the saved?

The Bible is clear that with respect to the unsaved, Satan blinds them to prevent them from seeing the truth, as stated in 2 Corinthians 4:4, which reads, “In their case the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Furthermore, Satan doesn’t need to do much to prompt men to sin. Their sin is intrinsic, as explained in Mark 7:21-23, which claims, “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Since Satan can’t blind the minds of believers, his objective is to make them ineffective. In fact, Revelation 12:10 refers to Satan as “...the accuser of our brothers...” Consequently, 1 Peter 5:8 warns us to “be sober-minded and watchful..” with respect to Satan.

How, then, are nonbelievers to respond to Satan?

It is clear that the most crucial response is to turn to Christ, repent of their sins, and embrace the gospel for true spiritual empowerment and deliverance. Clearly, this is the will of God as expressed in 1 Timothy 2:3-4, which shows, “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

So, how are believers to respond to Satan?

I cringe when I hear Pastors and other Christians advise that we should rebuke Satan. Nowhere in the Bible are we instructed to do so. We are advised to do quite the opposite.

Jude 1:9 discusses how “Michael the archangel, when he, disputing with the devil, was arguing about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a blasphemous judgment, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’”

And James 4:7 instructs us to “resist” the devil, never to rebuke him when it specifies, “...Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”.

Finally, Ephesians 6:14-17 instructs us to “stand firm” against the devil’s schemes and “take up the full armor of God so that you will be able to resist in the evil day….”

What is this full armor?

• Belt of Truth: The belt of truth represents a commitment to living a life based on God’s truth, integrity, and honesty.

• Breastplate of Righteousness: This represents practical righteousness and moral standing, protecting the heart against spiritual and moral impurity.

• Gospel of Peace: Being prepared to stand firm in the peace that the gospel brings.

• Shield of Faith: Faith in God’s promises and character serves as protection against spiritual attacks.

• Helmet of Salvation: The helmet signifies the security and assurance of salvation.

• Sword of the Spirit: This represents the Word of God, which is both an offensive and defensive weapon.

Certainly, Christ Himself can cast out demons and rebuke Satan in any way He so desires. Still, in Matthew 4:1-13, even Jesus repulsed the blows of Satan’s 40-day temptation in the desert, not with thunderbolts from heaven or rebukes, but by the Word of God employed in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

This same power is available to every Christian, not to rebuke Satan but to resist the devil with the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. Recognize that 1 John 4:4 states, “…greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

And, as James 4:7 promises, “he will flee from you.”

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