Who is Satan

To begin you must know this evil one has many names: Satan, Devil, Lucifer, Anointed cherub, Evil one, Serpent, Tempter, Deceiver, Beelzelbub and Belial just to name a few.

Satan began as a beautiful angel created by God but he became full of pride and desired to be equal to God.
For you said to yourself,‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’ (Isaiah 14:13-14, NLT)

In his desire to be the all powerful he persuaded other angels to join his rebellion against God. For this sin God threw him out of heaven to the earth where he will remain until he meets his final punishment after the reign of Christ.

I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy
mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire. “You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created until the day evil was found in you. Your rich commerce led
you to violence, and you sinned. So I banished you in disgrace from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire. Your heart was
filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of
splendor. So I threw you to the ground and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings. You defiled your sanctuaries with your many sins and your dishonest trade. So I brought fire
out from within you, and it consumed you. I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of
all who were watching. All who knew you are appalled at your fate. You have come to a
terrible end, and you will exist no more.” (Ezekiel 28:14-19, NLT)
Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur,
joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever
and ever. (Revelation 20:10, NLT)
Satan is our enemy and he hates all of God's people and seeks to destroy us, he plants false Christians among us. He is merciless and his ultimate goal is through temptation to cause all Christians to deny our faith. For this reason we must be on guard at all times. Learning the Word of God and how to apply it with humility and gentleness so that we can have a chance at identifying the impostors and false teachers.

Satan is not all-powerful, omnipresent or all-knowing as our Heavenly Father is. He has limitations but even with his limitations he is still clever. To increase his army he uses his influence over people through things of this world. John warns us of this:

"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not
have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical
pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.
These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away,
along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live
forever." (1 John 2:15-17, NLT)

Open your Bible and learn God's Word so that you can fight this demon and his temptations. Develop a love for Jesus and His Father, Our Father and hold up your shield of faith.

"Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of
telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. (Philippians 3:1, NLT) Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the
devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and
authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil
spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the
time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting
on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace
that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these,
hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your
helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your
prayers for all believers everywhere. (Ephesians 6:11-18, NLT)