Job 2:2
"The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."
Well, that's certainly a lovely thought. I don't know about you, but Satan is one of the last people in the world that I would want to run into. But the bottom line is - Satan's hanging out where you and I are, and he is trying to make us stumble. So does this mean that you're going to see this red guy walking around with horns and a pitchfork in the mall? Chances are, probably not. But Satan definately shows himself and tries to put you in situations where you will compromise your Christian testimony. Where are some places that you see Satan?
I would love to tell you that Satan is dumb. Unfortunately, he's not. He's pretty crafty and a lot smarter than I would like for him to be. Sometimes, it seems like He knows just where to get us. All of us struggle with certain sins, and it seems that Satan can always get us to give in these areas. Do you know situations that you would be likely to give in to temptation? Do you protect yourself from those situations? Let's look at some examples.
Let's say that you are totally into your boyfriend. He has been hinting that he would like to go a little further in your physical relationship than you are comfortable with. At first, you were firm with your convictions about your purity. But now that more time as passed, you are more comfortable with one another, and your feelings for him are growing, the temptations of going further physically are becoming harder to combat. Then, one day, he happens to come over when your parents are not home. Do you let your boyfriend come out and hang out (and give Satan a foothold on you), or do you go outside and hang out on your front porch in FULL view of your neighbors? You might even tell him to come back later. Don't put yourself in situations where you would be in danger of compromising your Christian standards.
What if you get invited to a party where there's alcohol? Would curiosity get the best of you, and would you take "just a sip?"
You walk up to a group of your friends at school, and they are saying extremely mean things about another girl in your grade. Do you join in on the gossip, or do you walk away? Taking it a step further, would you have the courage to ask them to stop?
These are all situations where Satan lies to you by whispering in your ear things like, "It's okay. It's just one time. No one is around, so no one will find out. You know if you speak up, your friends will make fun of you. Nobody's perfect. It's alright to mess up every once in a while. You're a teenager. You're supposed to experiment." DON'T FALL FOR IT. Do you realize who you are listening to if you give in to Satan's lies? The Bible refers to him with such terms as the devil, adversary, evil one, murderer, liar, thief, tempter, accuser of the brethren, prince of demons, and god of this world. He is in constant rebellion against God. Through his influence, Satan generates discord, deception, and disobedience among human beings. In Christ, Satan is already defeated, and his dominion and influence as god of this world will cease at Christ’s return. (Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:9; 1 Peter 5:8; John 8:44; Job 1:6-12; Zechariah 3:1-2; Revelation 12:10; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:1-3; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8)
Remember. We've read the end of the book. God wins, and Satan loses. You have nothing to be afraid of because the battle is as good as over. As long as you are a child of God, NO ONE and NOTHING can take you from Him.
Take that, Satan.
John 10:27-30
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one."
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