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subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord had made" (Gen. 3: 1). Satan whispers
"Hath God said", and so the seed of doubt is sown. Disobedience followed. This is
mentioned in Ephesians:
"Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to
the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience" (Eph. 2: 2).
Here we find another title, "the prince of the power of the air".
Other titles are given in Rev. 12: 9:
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan,
which deceiveth the whole world."
When our Lord was on the earth He called Satan "the prince of this world", and the
battle with Satan is clear when we read the references:
"Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out"
(John 12: 31).
"Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and
hath nothing in me" (John 14: 30).
"And when He (the Comforter) is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment . . . . . of judgment, because the prince of this world is
judged" (John 16: 8, 11).
Paul uses another title, the "god of this world", and he warns the Corinthians that the
god of this world deceives and blinds the eyes of those who will not believe:
"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world
hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of
Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (II Cor. 4: 3, 4).
As we think of the activity of the Deceiver, may we join with Paul in his prayer that
we may receive the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of
our understanding being enlightened (Eph. 1: 16-18).
Paul describes Satan as an angel of light and Peter in his warning describes Satan as
one who goes around like a roaring lion:
"For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of
Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not
surprising then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness" (II.Cor.xi.13-15,
N.I.V.).
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know
that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings"
(I.Pet.v.8,9, N.I.V.).
In I Tim. 3: 6 there is a warning against pride which was the cause of the devil's
downfall. Christ was very outspoken about the devil when he addressed the Jews; He