Spiritual Warfare: Verses about Satan
This past Sunday, in the sermon on Ephesians 6:10-20, I spent much of our time trying to help us all see what the Bible says/warns about Satan. Here is a list of the scriptures I referenced during that sermon (plus a few that didn’t make it into the sermon):
Satan: Origins/Early History
(Isaiah 14:12–15) 12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ 15 But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.
Note: This passage specifically refers to the king of Babylon. But many Christians in history have seen these verses as also applicable to Satan.
(Ezekiel 28:13–17) 13You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. 14You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. 15You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. 16In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.
Note: This passage specifically refers to the Prince of Tyre. But [as above] many Christians in history have seen these verses as also applicable to Satan.
(Luke 10:18) 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
(Job 1:6–7) 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” (see rest of chapter 1 and 2)
(John 1:1–3) 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Note: Satan is a creature (i.e. created by Jesus).
(Colossians 1:16) 16For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Note: See previous note.
(Revelation 12:3–4) 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. (see also verses 7-17)
Note: This “Dragon Passage” is certainly talking about Satan (as he is identified in vs. 9). But there is debate amongst Christian scholars as to what time frame(s) this passage refers to. Some see it as past (first advent), while others see it as future (second advent).
Satan’s Nature/Character
(John 8:44) 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 does not stand in 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.
(1 John 3:8a) 8Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning…
(Matthew 4:2–10) 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” (see also verses 4-10)
(2 Corinthians 11:14) 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
Satan’s Work in the World Today
(1 Peter 5:8) 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
(Ephesians 2:2) 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
(1 John 5:19) 19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
(2 Timothy 2:26) 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
(1 Thessalonians 2:18) 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us.
(1 Thessalonians 3:5) 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.
(1 Timothy 1:20) 20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
(1 Timothy 5:15) 15 For some have already strayed after Satan.
(2 Corinthians 4:4) 4 In their case the god of this world 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.
(2 Corinthians 12:7) 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.
(Luke 22:3) 3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.
(Acts 5:3) 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?
(Mark 4:15) 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.
Jesus’ Victory Over Satan/Satan’s Limited Power Over Believers
(Colossians 2:15) 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
(Hebrews 2:14) 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
(1 John 3:8b) …The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
(John 12:31) 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
(Matthew 12:25–29) 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.
(Romans 8:38–39) 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 16:20) 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
(Colossians 1:13) 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
(1 John 4:4) 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
(1 John 5:18) 18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
(2 Thessalonians 2:7–10) 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
(2 Thessalonians 3:3) 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.
(James 4:7) 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(Revelation 12:11) 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
(Revelation 20:1–3) 1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
Note: This point is a specific feature of those who hold to Amillennial or Post-Millennial views of eschatology. According to those views, these verses refer to our present age (i.e. Satan is currently bound from deceiving the nations).