Messing With Satan

 "And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one" Matt. 6:13

Back in the 90's as I was directing my 4 kids into following Christian music artists, a guy came on the scene named Carman. He did theatrical, well produced music videos and concerts and the concerts were free. We went to see him at Thompson Boling arena in Knoxville and it was packed. He even set a record for having the largest Christian concert ever, somewhere around 78,000. A lot of his "schtick" was bossing Satan around and telling him that he was a loser thanks to the blood of Jesus as seen in this video

  The problem was that Satan is not to be trifled with. First of all, most of us don't even need to bother with him because we are living lives that are not threatening to him in the least. In fact, many "Christians" are living lives that are helping his cause because people are saying, "If that's a Christian, I don't want to be one."

         Second, Satan is not omnipresent so his sends his demons to defeat us. Most of us aren't enough of a threat that we'd even experience him in our lifetimes. Someone like Martin Luther, who started the reformation, felt tormented by Satan and was said to have thrown an inkwell across the room at him, leaving a mark on the wall. Insane? Maybe. But just maybe, Luther was such a danger that Satan didn't trust sending the underlings but came in person. Satan asked permission to sift Peter. He asked permission to destroy Job. Jesus tells the disciples to pray for deliverance from Satan because they were going to become world changers and would be attacked. In fact, His high priestly prayer in John 17 was filled with prayers for protection for His disciples because He wouldn't be around for three days to keep Satan away from them. Most of us don't pose that kind of threat. Pray we do.

         Thirdly, he is more powerful than us. I don't think we can drop kick him, tell him to bite the dust, or boss him around. Jude says, 

"they reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand..."

    So if even the strongest archangel, who could wipe us out immediately, didn't mess with Satan, what makes us think we can?

       So what's my point. Don't mock Satan. Don't relish a confrontation with him. Pray for protection. Be humble. Don't be afraid because God's more powerful but don't be like the 7 sons of Sceva who just a minion said, "Paul I know but who are you?" Don't think you are something you aren't.