Are You feeling “Unfulfilled?

They said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?" —LUKE 24:32, NRS

I think it’s safe to say... it's hard to figure out in middle-class, 21st-century America what it means to follow Jesus. It's hard to discern what dying to self looks like in any given instance. Do I pursue a job promotion, or is this "selfish ambition and vain conceit"? Do I take a holiday in the Bahamas, or is this a damnable failure to be "rich toward God," a failure to give to someone in need when I have material possessions? Can I buy a season's pass at a ski resort, tickets to my favorite sport’s team or is this gross self-indulgence?

Now that Easter has passed for another year and thoughts of renewal and recommitment are swirling in our heads, let’s contemplate a condition that confounds us and often slows or outright derails our walk with Christ.

So many Christians start their journey with Christ, but somewhere, somehow, end up stranded... marooned in confusion about the makeup of life as a Christian in a world in opposition to all things Christian. They feel like they're living precariously in-between worlds. In the beginning they were passionately enthused about being a follower of Christ, but end up slowly drifting into indifference about God, His Church and His mission. They stop talking about God and the things of God. They can talk about everything else with ease and eloquence, but their tongues thicken, twist, grow mute about naming and proclaiming God. There’s great danger in this subtle transformation in the wrong direction. These kinds of Christians have a shallow faith. In fact, the most their faith amounts to is just mere talk. It’s as if they’ve transformed into a talking cult.

Maybe some of these questions are ringing in your head right now: Where is this huge, exultant freedom for which Christ set me free? Why do I still fret over downturns in the financial markets, get irked by reckless drivers, harbor grudges over petty things, care more about my rhododendron bush than about the soul of the boy who broke its branches playing street hockey? Why can I sustain a capacity to explore, in my mind, vast tracts of an imaginary world, but can barely focus my prayers on God for more than 60 seconds... if at all?

The most wondrous, breath taking truth anyone will ever contemplate is the story of the triune God and his ways with humanity. But the slightest of distractions can redirect anyone’s focus away from that wondrous story. With all that life has to offer... setting aside time to dwell on the importance of God’s story and its vast array of meaning for life seems a sacrifice, and sometimes, just a plain nuisance.

Maybe you know someone who wants a deeper, richer experience with Christ, but they find themselves aimlessly whiling away their days. Their days pass in a blurring swiftness and yet drag on in a dreary sameness—in jobs they dislike, in relationships that baffle and hurt them, with financial worries and health problems. They have not opened themselves to seeing God’s way of understanding these things and they resist accepting God’s timeless truths and promises as the foundation for living.

They don't feel fulfilled. And they carry a secret dread: Is there more to this life... am I the only one missing it? Or worse: Is this it, and everyone's pretending it's enough? Now, you wouldn’t expect “Christians” to have these sorts of feelings... but they surely do and more so all the time.

Maybe you don’t have the cross of Christ firmly planted in your eye! Jesus, newly risen from the dead, joined with two of his disciples—one named Cleopas, and the other not named... as they walk to the village of Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35).

Jesus asks these fellows what they’re discussing. Gloomily, they tell him about "Jesus of Nazareth," a "prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people." They speak about how the religious rulers handed him over to be crucified. "But we had hoped," they say, "that he was the one to redeem Israel." They tell about the rumors told by womenfolk—more troubling than consoling—of his resurrection. One thing is for sure: the tomb is empty, bodiless. They’re confused, scared and feeling a deep sense of hopelessness.

Jesus listens, and then speaks. "Oh, how foolish you are," he says, "and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?"

When they arrive at the village, these two persuade Jesus—whom they still do not recognize—to eat with them. He does, and as Jesus breaks the bread, gives thanks, and gives it to them, "their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?' "

The heart condition of these two guys is a paradox... slow and burning. Maybe that’s a more common affliction than any of us comprehend about ourselves. One definition of Christ's followers might be that... “people of the slow, burning heart.” Sorrow and hope, awe and self-pity, wonder and worry, believing and doubting, yes and no mix loosely and easily in us, tugging us one way, jostling us another.

Jesus walks with us in our Christian life. But we can look straight at him and not recognize him. Jesus opens the Scriptures to us and something happens within us... a warming sometimes, a scorching at other times. And just at those moments, when finally the scales fall from our eyes and we see that Jesus is working in us, transforming us... at that wondrous moment, he up and vanishes.
Our encounters with the risen Christ are mostly like that. Enigmatic, fleeting, mere glimpses, little ambushes. And we're left with the question, "Didn't our hearts burn within us? Didn't they?" Why is it this way for Christians?

The story of these two men on the road to Emmaus has deep meaning and application for our lives in walking with Christ. Our journey with Christ will most certainly be haunted by "what ifs" and "whys," by the pain of loss. It is a journey of nostalgia and lament. One refrain of the journey is "but we had hoped . …" (v. 21). Jesus is always near us, with us in our walk, but seldom do we recognize His influence or the ways He cares for us. When we do, the moment of epiphany, the moment of seeing the risen Christ working in our lives, is often sparked and sealed, not by grand gestures, but by simple things, like the breaking of bread in thankfulness or a kind gesture to someone less fortunate. We are the slow-hearted and the burning-hearted... like a paradox criss-crossing but never merging and resolving.

One of our persistent cultural myths is the myth of fulfillment. It’s the promise that, on this earth, the fullness of all you truly need and all you desire will be gained... hence personal satisfaction and life fulfillment. And it's not just a secular myth. It's a Christian one, too. Maybe it's especially Christian. The expectation of being fulfilled and satisfied in this life causes Christians to remove God from life’s equation when certain expectations are not realized.

It’s hard to see things from a spiritual dimension, especially when we’re going through hard times or we’re feeling unfulfilled.  Still, though, I think we do the same thing Cleopas did. When the going got tough, Cleopas removed God from his life equation.  When the going gets tough for us, we often do the same thing.  Your mind takes you on a roller coaster ride from... “God has really blessed me” to “God has abandoned me!  Why is God allowing these things in my life?  I have to figure out what to do now.”

Cleopas and his friend on their way to Emmaus were walking and talking with a sense of doom and gloom because they had their own agenda of how things were supposed to go, and that determined their expectations of Jesus.  Many of the followers of Jesus had the wrong thinking about what the Messiah was supposed to be and do.  They were looking for someone who would recapture the glory days of King David and bring back to Israel the power and prosperity she once enjoyed, making her the world power of the day.  But compared to the reality that lay before them – Roman oppression and a dead Jesus – their hopes for glory seemed to have been utterly destroyed.

We Christians do the same thing. How? Some people approached their faith with the idea that once a Christian they shouldn’t have any more problems in life.  Be honest with yourself... such thinking goes something like this... “God, if You will do XYZ for me – if You will give me what I want – then I will follow You.  I will do what You want me to do, I’ll live the way You tell me I should in Your Word, I’ll be so happy and everything will be right with the world if You’ll just respond the way I want.”  And then when our own agenda, our own expectations of Jesus fail to be met, we are left wondering what’s going on. We begin to question everything... even the reliability of Jesus.

Cleopas and his friend had an even bigger problem than just the confusion of the events of Jesus execution and death.They failed to acknowledge the resurrection. If these two followers had acknowledge the resurrection they had already been told about, two things would have been true for them.  First, they would have been walking toward Jerusalem to see the risen Lord, not away from the city.  Second, they would have seen the trials, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus as the fulfillment of all He promised, not as the end of their hopes.  Because they didn’t acknowledge the resurrection, because it hadn’t made an impact on their lives, they were suffering a sense of hopelessness.

The portrait of the faithful is not a portrait of the fulfilled. What defines all Christians... is trust in what God has promised... it defines our hope and builds a deep sustaining faith. A slow and burning heart. What defines us is a yearning, knowing in our bones, in spite of loss or sorrow or aloneness or disappointment, that there is something more, something better that awaits us. What defines us today in this life is an unshakable conviction that we may only see Christ through a glass darkly, in little fleeting puzzling glimpses, but that one day we will see Him face-to-face. Trust that promise. Build your hope around it and your faith will grow deep and sustain you through life’s inevitable disappointments.

When Cleopas and his friend understood their encounter with the risen Jesus... they certainly experienced a great sense of fulfillment... their hearts were smoldering with passion for their risen Lord. Were they fulfilled after this? We’re all of their life challenges and problems resolved for them? That is very doubtful. If the stories of the other disciples give us any clues, the best response to such a question... Were they fulfilled? is to answer, That's the wrong question. Was Paul fulfilled? Was Peter? Was John? Was Luke? Was Timothy? It's the wrong question.

Fulfillment is heaven's business. Our ultimate joy and satisfaction awaits us in the hands of God. What Paul, Peter, John, Cleopas, his friend and all Christians know, then and now, is that we must hold firmly in our hearts like a slow smoldering burning fire the hope that Jesus is the risen Lord. That He sits a the right-hand of God and all His promises have and will continue to be true as time unfolds.

The same God who spoke the words that created all there is, speaks His Word again and again to us every day.  How many of us have lived apart from God’s Word, and then wondered why we’re on the meandering walk we find ourselves on?  Feeling dazed, confused. lost and abandoned? How many times have we cried out to God wondering where He is, while His Word in our Bibles sits on the book shelf collecting dust? 

We need to know this Word of God.  Ignorance of the Bible comes from ignoring the Bible, and ignoring the Bible puts us right in the same place as Cleopas and his friend on the road to Emmaus. We become like ones who don’t see as we should, ones who see with a distorted perception, believing in unrealistic expectations and unwilling to accept the simple knowable truths of God.

Finally, and what may be the hardest thing for most of us... learning to trust and accept God’s timing.  No one likes God’s timing because it just never seems to mess with ours.

However, God in His perfect discernment, did not allow Cleopas and his friend to recognize Jesus until the time was right.  He didn’t allow them to suffer in grief a moment longer than was absolutely necessary, yet He didn’t end their discomfort before an important lesson could be learned.  

Spiritual maturity never happens instantaneously.  Spiritual growth and our sustaining faith requires a journey, and journeys take time.  Trust God’s will and trust His timing.  He is faithful to the faithful.

Cross Centered Living...

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 1 Corinthians 15: 3-5

We are now in the midst of the holiest three days in all of human history. Our faith rests on what we believe and celebrate this weekend.

When all is said and done, there is no part of religion that is more important than the facts and meaning of Christ’s death. The Cross must be firmly anchored at the very core of our faith which empowers our teaching, evangelizing and preaching.

It is not without significance that the Cross has become the universal symbol of Christianity. To gaze upon its significance is to see what God can do in your life.

The Cross is at the core of our faith. Have you deeply contemplated the wondrous cross?

I don’t think you can consider yourself a real Christian until you have experienced the power of the cross and understood its meaning and message to you. You cannot be a disciple unless the Cross stands at the center of who you are and what you believe.

Celebrate the glory of Christ... tomorrow on Easter Sunday! Celebrate His redeeming work embodied in the Cross and His victorious Resurrection that opens the pathway for your Salvation.

Reaffirm. Recommit. Realign your life to live in harmony with Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior. May Christ be central in all you think and do.

Our Hero... our Redeemer... our Savior... our God!

The “hero/villain/victim” motif forms the backbone of many of the world’s great dramas. The same concept plays an important role in the gospel accounts as well. Jesus is the ultimate “hero,” constantly defending hapless victims from a powerful and evil villain. This motif is evident all around us, seen and unseen, in our social world and in the unseen cosmic.

Jesus constantly steps in to protect the weak, the sick, or the sinful from those in positions of power – especially religious leaders. He takes the side of the woman caught in adultery (John 8), the sinful woman at Simon’s house (Luke 7), the woman who anoints him with perfume (Mark 14), a tax collector (Luke 5 and 18), children (Mark 10), a crippled woman (Luke 13), Samaritans (Luke 9 and 10), and many many others.

In aligning himself with these people, Jesus willingly puts himself in opposition to religious leaders, politicians, the crowds, and even his own disciples. Wherever people are being hurt, whenever judgment is given preference over mercy, any time the weak and outcast confront the strong and well-connected, Jesus invariably comes to the aid of the former and puts to shame the latter. Jesus loved the underdog. His heart went out to the downtrodden, powerless and disadvantaged. He was most at home with the poor, the diseased, the underprivileged than the well-to-do and well-connected.

Few things were more repulsive to him than the privileged classes taking advantage of these masses who were like “sheep without a shepherd.” If nobody else wanted them, Jesus did. And they knew it.

Of course, this same predilection is seen at the cosmic level also. For Jesus’ ministry can be summarized as the rescue of helpless victims from the sinister clutches of Satan and his evil minions. Jesus is our hero, doing battle for us with the one who has caused humanity untold suffering and degradation.

What we see when Christ steps in to defend an individual in the gospel accounts is the same attitude which prompted him to step into our world and take up our cause of providing a pathway back to God. He is our Redemption... He is the marvelous plan of Salvation that flows freely forth like living waters for all humanity from an eternal well of mercy... the Cross.

Jesus never refused to become involved. He never looked the other way or crossed the road to avoid getting involved. Ne never turned a blind eye to the problems and suffering of people. He was all in... for all mankind.

By temperament, he was predisposed to empathize with the underdog and to risk himself in the victim’s behalf. He did... all the way to the cross. And for that, we all should be thankful. For in Him and through Him... a purposeful life can be lived.

See the Cross of Christ in your minds eye, in your heart, these remaining hours as Jesus, nearly 2,000 years ago completes His journey of eternal destiny at the Cross, and as the victorious risen Savior on Easter – Resurrection Sunday.

Shame... Remorse... Mercy.

The authentic mark of the man or woman who has genuinely been touched by the grace of God is a profound sense of personal worthlessness.

There is something about confronting absolute holiness which makes us painfully aware of the contrast between God and ourselves. We feel suddenly naked and exposed as God looks through all our masks and pretenses, our hypocrisies and conceits, to the ugliness deep within us. How ironic that religion is so often connected with pride, for true relationship with God can never foster arrogance.

Your first emotional response to being in the presence of God will not be awe or gratitude but shame... shame for what you are; shame for what you have failed to be; shame for ever thinking you had anything to be proud of.

Shame was Job’s response to the presence of God. “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:5-6

Shame was Isaiah’s response to a vision of God. “‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.’” Isaiah 6:5

Shame was Peter’s response after witnessing Jesus’ power. “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” Luke 5:8

To many people, shame is itself something of which to be ashamed. They resist the feeling, thinking that anyone who is bad enough to feel shame is too bad for the mercies of God.

In reality, the opposite is true. Only those who are overwhelmed by their shame and unworthiness can be touched by God. It is those who mourn who will be comforted. Only he who “hates his life” will keep it for eternity.

We label someone a psychopath who commits horrible crimes without shame or remorse. What label should we then we apply to one who sins in less conspicuous ways, yet still has no shame before God? The difference between the two is only a difference of degree, not of kind. As we stand before God, the only attitude which is not psychopathic is a crushing sense of our own sinfulness and a passionate gratitude for God’s mercy.

Nothing is quite so sad as someone putting on airs or thinking themselves better than they really are. Jesus told many stories about such people... none more contrasting than that of a tax collector and a Pharisee who were praying (Luke 18:9-14). The object of that story was the importance of seeing ourselves as God sees us. The essence of true religion... is learning to see ourselves as God sees us.

God is the great forgiver. There is no sin which he cannot forgive. There is no wrong too great for his mercy to cover. However, there is one thing that can separate us from the mercy of God - our blindness to our need for forgiveness.

Of all the sins of man, the one most loathsome to God is that of self-righteousness and hypocrisy which keeps us from confessing our sins and falling on his mercy alone. It is never the sinfulness of man which constrains God’s forgiveness, but rather man’s unwillingness to admit he is a sinner.

Remember that your standing before God has nothing to do with your worthiness and everything to do with God’s mercy. It is better to agonize over your sin than to gloat over your righteousness.

He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.” Luke 16:15

Lost, then Found... Your Future

Have you ever been lost? I don’t mean inconvenienced or temporarily disoriented - I mean really lost. Turned around, completely confused, scared to death and about to cry kind of lost?

There are few things that frighten us quite like not knowing where we are. No familiar places . . . no familiar faces. Nothing to give us a reference point . . . nothing to help us orient ourselves and find out what direction we should be going.

Some of us suffer this condition in our general life course. Where am I going... what am I doing... what’s my purpose in life? What’s amazing about this condition... we often just accept it and learn to live with it.

There is another kind of lostness, though, that should frighten us even more - spiritual lostness. It’s not that you don’t know where you are. With this kind of lostness, you don’t have any idea where you’re going.

You have no home to go to, you have no direction to strive for. Like a homeless person on the streets of an urban city, you wander your own spiritual streets, and “lostness” becomes not just a temporary state of affairs . . . “spiritual lostness” becomes characteristic of every day of your life.

You get used to being turned around and confused and scared. You get used to there being no reference point . . . no principles to help you orient yourself and give yourself some direction and purpose.

The Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ knew a lot about the lostness of humanity. Jesus recognized that every human being who ever lived was lost, without hope and without God in this world (Eph 2:12).

Finding a point of reference that will help you orient yourself and gather your bearings is not something you can do yourself. You need help. People who have been found, those who have discovered a purpose and direction for their lives, have done so not by their own merit or hard work but by confessing their lostness to God and turning the wheel of their lives over to him.

When all is said and done, the only difference between the man in the pew and the man in the street is that one is a lost person who has been found and the other is still out wandering the streets of life looking for something to point him in the right direction.

Finding your “TRUE NORTH” as a trusted and reliable point of reference for life navigation can be a big challenge in today’s world. Jesus is that compass and following Him is your true north. However, finding the real and true Jesus is more challenging than you might think. You might say, not all compasses point to north. That is true. There seems to be more than enough magnetic like interference in life that tugs and pulls you off track, away from the reliable and trustworthy Jesus.

Magnetic interference can ruin a compass, rendering it useless for navigation. Just like magnetic interference, SIN following false doctrines and the religious traditions of men, even though they seem biblical and true, can knock you off course. Trusting in those who project a form of righteousness, but lack humility and a self-serving heart for their fellow man can knock you of course.

Simple exercise: go outside and with your eyes closed, turn until you find “north" and stop. Try it and see how close you come to facing true north. Then do it again, only this time with a compass in hand and see how close you come to true north.

Following Jesus Christ, our point of reference for life, begins with seeing the CROSS as we gaze across the varied landscapes of our life experiences. No matter which direction you turn and stop, the cross must always be in your line of vision. It must loom larger than anything else you see on the horizons of your life.

All your decisions and choices, everything you desire and plan, the CROSS must always be visible in your minds eye. That’s your TRUE NORTH in a Cross-Centered life lived in harmony with Jesus Christ.

Jesus and People...

Jesus loved people. No doubt about that. If there is any one aspect of his character that convicts us that Jesus is divine, it is his compassion for people.

What is astonishing is the variety of people that Jesus met and ministered to: men and women, old and young, Jew, Samaritan, Syrophoenician, Greek and Roman, Sadducee and Pharisee, Zealot and Herodian, rich men and poor men, lepers, demented, blind, deaf, lame, tax-collectors, harlots, fishermen and lawyers. The Gospels were not deliberately setting out to list all the variety of people he interacted with, - he just had a very compassionate way with people that drew crowds and attracted individuals.

One is immediately struck by the contrasts - Jesus will dine with the socially despised and the honored, with friends and with adversaries and critics. He speaks out for the poor, but he does not ostracize the rich.

To be sure, his extraordinary gift of being at ease with all sorts of persons undoubtedly drew the common people to him. His was a time when the social strata lines were sharply drawn, but with unembarrassed ease he ate alike with Simon, the Pharisee, and with tax collectors and sinners. It was a time when stiff conventionalities limited social interaction between the sexes, but he was able whether in public or in private to associate with men and women on equal terms.

He was at home with little children in their innocence and strangely enough at home too with conscience-stricken grafters like Zacchaeus. Respectable home-keeping women, such as Mary and Martha, could talk with him with natural frankness, but courtesans also sought him out as though assured that he would understand and befriend them.

He was loyal and faithful to his Jewish heritage, yet in the good Samaritan he portrayed incarnate unselfishness, and in a Roman centurion he found more faith than he had found in Israel. This inclusiveness of Jesus, and his ease at navigating the social boundaries that hemmed ordinary people in, is one of his most profound qualities.

The world of Jesus time and our world of today are very similar. Then and now, the world is not a kind place. You don’t have to be a student of history to know that religion has often served as a tool to control people rather than as a means to serve them. Claiming intimacy with God provides all the rationale that is needed for some to treat their fellow man in harsh, abusive and compassionless ways. Karl Marx once called called religion the “opiate of the masses” - frequently it has been a tyrant in the name of God.

It was common, for instance, for eastern rulers to claim deity for themselves to solidify their political power. They used that claim to justify wars, massacres, persecutions, assassination of enemies, etc. From about A.D. 1100 to 1300, the Inquisition raged in Spain and southern Europe. Once again, it was those who claimed intimacy with God who felt perfectly justified in imprisoning, torturing, and murdering their fellow humans.

Remember that it was not the religiously apathetic or even those antagonistic to religious belief who sent Jesus Christ to the cross. It was the religious leaders of Israel, those who thought themselves to be right with God and approved by God, who, in the name of God, murdered His son and persecuted his followers.

Many people throughout history and from a wide variety of belief traditions have defined religion solely in terms of a relationship with God.

Indeed our faith is a vertical business conducted between heaven and earth, and seems to have little relationship to the horizontal connections we have with our fellow man. However, our Lord and Savior clearly shows us that intimacy with God necessitates the right treatment of people. Authentic Christianity has as much to do with how we relate to each other as it does with how we relate to God.

We cannot claim a love of God, whom we have not seen, without loving the people we see every day. To Jesus, religion is not just vertical and God-centered; it is horizontal and people-focused as well. Remember what Jesus said when questioned about the “greatest commandment of the law”....

Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’’ Jesus replied: ‘‘‘Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’’ Matthew 22:36-40

Find your balance. Love God... Love people. Express your genuine love for God by your sincere acts of service to others. What more can be said?

Satan: REAL, Powerful and out to ruin YOU!

For many, Satan is a nasty being with horns, a pointed tail and a pitchfork who entices unsuspecting people to travel merrily down life’s wide, spacious and pleasure filled road to a horrific end – eternity in a real burning hell. Others, who fancy themselves to be well informed sophisticated thinkers, are not so sure that is the case at all. They feel that Satan is not a being who influences people to do bad things, but merely a name given to an evil force that exists within every person. St. Augustine’s third century philosophical notion that evil is merely the absence of good is also widely held by many today—in other words the generally accepted belief today is that Satan the Devil does not really exist! He has been created to explain and justify the natural evil and wickedness that emanates from man. A of personification of evil.

What’s your view of Satan the Devil? What does the Bible say about Satan, and what should Christians believe about him? Knowing that he is real, thereby understanding his nature, character and tactics enables you to have a “biblically grounded worldview” consistent with all that Scripture teaches about God and His arch enemy.

The Barna Group, () a noted researcher of religious attitudes and beliefs, has found that a very small percentage of born again Christians hold to a biblical worldview. Barna defines a “biblical worldview” as having the following six elements: “The Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches; Satan is considered to be a real being, not merely symbolic; a person cannot earn their way into Heaven by trying to be good or do good works; Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; and God is the all-knowing, all-powerful creator of the world who still rules the universe today.”

The Barna surveys, among others, show that many Christians think that belief in Satan is optional. They argue, if I believe in Jesus that is enough. But if you believe that Jesus was and is God, then you must believe that Satan exists. Satan is mentioned in the Gospels twenty-nine times. And in twenty-five of those references, Jesus is the one talking about or interacting with Satan.

It is also worth noting that Satan is mentioned many other times in the Bible. Satan is referenced in seven Old Testament books and every New Testament writer talks about Satan. Belief in Satan, God’s adversary and enemy, is not optional for a true believer.

When Satan is discussed in the New Testament, he is identified by three titles. These three titles describe his power on earth and his influence in the world:

Ruler of the world – Jesus refers to Satan as “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). This means that he can use the elements of society, culture, and government to achieve his evil ends in this world. That doesn’t mean that every aspect of society or culture is evil. And it doesn’t mean that Satan has complete control of every politician or governmental bureaucrat. But it does mean that Satan can influence and manipulate the world’s systems to his evil ends.

God of this world – Paul refers to Satan as “the god of this world” who “has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Satan sets himself up as a false god to many. His power over religion and the ability to promote false religions keeps people from knowing the true gospel.

Prince of the air – Paul reminds Christians that they “formerly walked according to the ways of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air.” Satan is the “prince of the air” and thus can control the thoughts of those living under the influence of the world’s systems. The Bible says: “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). So we should not be surprised that we find ourselves in the midst of spiritual warfare.

How Did Satan Fall?
The Bible doesn’t say much about Satan and his fall. However, there are two passages in Scripture that many believe does describe Satan’s fall but not all theologians are in agreement. These passages are Ezekiel 28:11-19 and Isaiah 14:12-19.

Ezekiel predicts the coming judgment of the Gentile nations and refers to “the prince (or leader) of Tyre” and then later to “the king of Tyre.” These do not seem to be the same person. The first is obviously the earthly leader of the city Tyre. Ezekiel is predicting his ultimate downfall and the destruction of his kingdom.

The person referred to as the “king of Tyre” seems to be a different person. He has “the seal of perfection” and was “blameless.” He is described as “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” It also says that he was “in Eden, the garden of God.”

It appears that the “king of Tyre” describes Satan who was serving God as an angel. The passage further says that Satan was “lifted up” because of his beauty which many commentators suggest mean that he was one of the greatest of all God’s creations. But he chose to rebel against God’s authority and therefore sinned. This passage says “you sinned” and “you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor.”

Another passage that appears to be talking about Satan is where the prophet Isaiah is predicting that God will bring judgment against Babylon. The first part of chapter 14 (verses 1-11) is directed at the king of Babylon. But many theologians and commentators believe that the subject changes in the next section (verses 12-19) because it focuses on the “star of the morning.”

It's worth mentioning that the “star of the morning” in verse 12 could just as easily be translated “the shining one.” That connects with Paul’s statement that Satan is an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). The passage also says that he has “fallen from heaven.” It seems like these passages are not talking about the Babylonian king, but actually referring to Satan.

If this passage is talking about Satan, then it tells us more about his motivations that led to his fall. Five times in this passage we see the phrase “I will.” He is prideful and wants to achieve a position “above the stars of God” (Isaiah 14:13). He also sought to be “like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14). And he wanted to “sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north” (Isaiah 14:13). Each of these pride-fueled desires tell al lot about his motivations.

From this passage we discover three things about Satan. First, Satan wanted to be superior to creation. Second, Satan wanted to be superior to the Creator. Third, Satan wanted a superior place to rule all of creation.

What Do We Know About Satan’s Character?
The Bible tells us a great deal about Satan through the various names that are given to him. It is the names described in Scripture that are most important to our understanding of him, as they reveal aspects of his nature and character. The most commonly used name is that of “Satan.” In Hebrew the name means “adversary.” He is opposed to God and His plans. And Satan is primarily opposed to God’s plan for human lives. If we are to be successful in spiritual warfare, we must understand that he is our adversary. This characteristic of Satan, as an “adversary” of all things good... is significant. The Old Testament uses the name Satan eighteen times, and it is used thirty-four times in the New Testament.

Another common name is “the Devil.” This name tends to be thought of as his generic name, but it is far more meaningful that a simple generic reference. The name “Devil” in the Greek language is diabolos and is derived from a verb meaning “to throw.” The Devil “throws” accusations and lies at God and at His followers. This is a significant part of spiritual warfare. He accuses believers while he slanders and defames the name of God. The name “Devil” occurs thirty-six times in the New Testament.

There is one passage in the New Testament that uses both of these names for Satan. Peter warns believers about Satan who is an “adversary” and “the devil” who is on the prowl like roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8 ESV; ASV; NKJV). He is a formidable adversary that believing Christians should not take lightly.

Satan is also known as the “tempter.” He tempts us to follow him and his evil ways rather than follow God’s plan for our lives. When he appeared to Jesus in the wilderness, he was referred to as the tempter (Matthew 4:3). Also, Paul refers to Satan as “the tempter” (1 Thessalonians 3:5) and thus illustrates one of the key characteristics of Satan: he tempts humans towards sin.

A related name is “serpent.” Satan took the form of a serpent to tempt Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). Paul talks about Satan tempting Eve due to his subtle tempting and craftiness (2 Corinthians 11:3). In addition to tempting believers, Satan is referred to as the “accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10).

Satan is also called “the evil one” both by Jesus (John 17:15) and the Apostle John (1 John 5:18-19). Satan can influence and control the world system, but believers are given the power to resist his influences and evil intentions. Satan is the source of much of the evil in the world, and that is why believers must be cognizant of his potential impact, ever vigilant that we are in a war of attrition with him... a spiritual warfare to ruin all who would walk with God.

We also see his power in the names that describe his dominion. He is described as “the god of this world” in 2 Corinthians 4:4. He is also called “the prince of the world” (John 14:30) and “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). And he is known as “the ruler of the demons” in Matthew 12:24.

How Are We Caught in the Snares of Satan?
The Bible warns us that Satan can capture our minds and divert us away from God’s purpose. Things of the world can become a “snare” to us. In certain biblical passages (for example, Psalm 124), we can read about fowlers (catchers of birds) and the use of snares to accomplish their task. They would capture birds by spreading a net on the ground that was attached to ropes. When the birds landed to eat the seeds spread out around the net, fowlers would pull the ropes causing the net to close quickly around the birds, catching them in the net.

A snare could be anything Satan uses that entangles us or impedes our progress in our Christian walk. It could be a roadblock or it could be a diversion. A wise and discerning Christian should be alert for snares that can prevent your effectiveness and even go so far as to ruin your relationship with God.

The character of Satan gives us some insight into his methods and techniques. James gives us a perspective on this by telling us that when we are tempted we should not blame God. Instead, we should understand the nature of temptation and enticement. “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death” (James 1:14-15).

James shows that temptation toward sin in usually a process rather than a single act. We are tempted and then carried away and enticed by our own lust. Like a fisherman who tries to catch a fish using bait, Satan tries to entice us by placing before us something that will cause us to be carried away. Then when lust has conceived or firmly rooted in our hearts, we do it again, and again and eventually experience a spiritual death, by sinning against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31; Mark 3:29).

Satan is not only the tempter, but he is a subtle deceiver “who deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:9). Jesus warned that there will be “false Christs and false prophets” who will “show great signs and wonders.” They will be so convincing that they “shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24).

Paul warns that Satan disguises himself as an “angel of light” and his demons transform themselves to appear as “ministers of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). Satan’s main strategy is to lie, deceive and misrepresent. Jesus said concerning Satan, “When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Paul prays that Christians would “no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Ephesians 4:14). The many world religions and even the denominations of Christianity fit this form of Satan's deception. They feel good , they look good, they even speak a form of truth, but are leading people away from God's pure unadulterated truths to destruction.

How Did Jesus Resist the Temptations of Satan?
How can we resist Satan’s temptations? We can learn some valuable lessons about how to deal with spiritual warfare by watching how Jesus was able to resist the temptations of Satan (Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4) in the forty-day Temptation. The Bible records three attempts by Satan to get Jesus to act independently of His Father’s will for Him.

Challenged God’s provision – Satan first challenged Jesus to turn stones into bread (Matthew 4:3). The Bible tells us that Jesus was very hungry after fasting for forty days. While Jesus had the power to do so, He resisted because it was His Father’s will that he fast in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights.

Instead Jesus quotes a portion of Deuteronomy 8:3 back to Satan. “But He answered and said, ‘It is written, man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4). Obedience to God defeats the schemes of Satan.

Challenged God’s protection – Satan next took Jesus into “the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple” (Ma?tthew 4:5). He then commanded Jesus to throw Himself down in order for the angels to protect Him. In other words, Satan wanted Jesus to take His protection into His own hands and no longer trust in God’s protection. Notice that Satan even quotes Scripture (Psalm 91) to Jesus (Matthew 4:6) in order to tempt Him.

Jesus, however, quotes a portion of Deuteronomy 6:16 back to Satan. “Jesus said to him, ‘On the other hand, it is written, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test”” (Matthew 4:7).

Challenged God’s dominion – Satan then took Jesus “to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory” (Matthew 4:8). And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9). Satan would give Jesus rule and dominion over all that the world could provide if he were turn away from His mission to save mankind and worship Satan.

Notice that Jesus did not challenge Satan’s claim that he had the kingdoms of the world to give to Him. After all, Satan is the “prince of this world” (John 12:31). But instead Jesus said to him, “Go Satan! For it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only” (Matthew 4:10).

As believers we should remind ourselves that Satan is a defeated foe. Jesus tells us that “the ruler of this world has been judged” (John 16:11). However, before that judgement is carried out, his influence is still in full force throughout the world. The Bible clearly shows that Satan is a very real being. We should not deceive ourselves into believing he is nothing more than man’s internal evil inclinations. He is a dangerous opponent of every Christian. His goal is deception, division and destruction of all honest-hearted believers. He wants to ruin your relationship with God, thereby ending your opportunity for eternal life.

We must not forget... his domain of influence is the world we live in. Jesus refers to Satan as “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31). John tells us that “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). And Peter reminds us that “the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). However, we can prevail against him, if we know our adversary and how he works. The good news is that “greater is He [the Holy Spirit] who is in you, than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

The questions that challenge each of us are many. Do we know our adversary and do we understand what we are up against in our quest to be faithful and obedient to God? Do we recognize when Satan is focusing in on us, or does he repeatedly catch us off guard? Are you following God’s instructions for holy living and heeding the biblical examples recorded for our instruction of those who have battled Satan’s influences and remained faithful to God?

Are we constantly on-guard and close enough to God to sense when Satan is beginning to play with our thoughts, opinions and perspectives? Do we regularly ask God for the strength to resist Satan’s attacks? These are a few of the daily challenges we all face.

Be courageous, for we have a most powerful alley... the Holy Spirit within us... that God makes available to those who have given over their lives to walk with Him. Be part of the winning team!