The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)

What Satan Knows

Satan, the fiery red dragon, the serpent of old called the devil is powerful. He has a clear agenda and a defined purpose driven by his rebellion. Jesus came to earth to destroy the works of the devil. When Jesus rose from the dead, Satan knew something. He knew he was totally defeated. There was nothing he could do against Jesus, although he tried innumerable times while Jesus walked as a man. Did Satan consider the death of Jesus (God) a victory? If so, it was short-lived. God had told the devil that he would bruise the heel of the Seed, but that his head would be bruised. Everything came to pass when Jesus died and rose on the third day.

Paul warned the early Christians of the power of Satan, describing him as the master of evil principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, and the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. The devil is not a being to be taken lightly or ignored. Any day with the devil is an evil day. The fiery darts of the dragon are powerful. His wily ways are unscrupulous and very effective. Satan destroyed the relationship between God and man when he successfully tempted Eve in the garden. The world was destroyed in a flood through the power of the devil. Only Noah and his family survived. Satan destroyed the apple of God’s eye when he brought Israel down. The devil was bold to tempt Jesus at the beginning of His ministry with three powerful allurements. He failed.

Satan is powerful, but his power is limited. When he went after the man Job, God limited what he could do. Jesus showed His power over Satan in healing demon-possessed souls. All the demons obeyed the voice of Jesus without hesitation. James tells us the minions of Satan believe and tremble. The Bible is the manual for dealing with the influence of Satan. God gave man a book to read and understand the enemy he is up against. With greater knowledge comes greater power to withstand the pressures of the evil one. If a man resists the devil, the old lion will flee.

The apostle John wrote the Revelation of Jesus Christ nearly two thousand years ago. His message was sent to the seven churches in Asia to exhort, rebuke, correct, and challenge the early saints to walk faithfully before the Lord. The early Christians were suffering under the heavy hand of the Roman Government, religious persecution, and the influence of an ungodly world. In the Revelation, the Lord reveals to His people that He knows their pain and suffering and that He has heard their prayers. One of the most important lessons they needed to learn was not to fear the devil. He is the dragon behind the persecution, but the good news comes at the end of the story. The devil will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone and will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Satan is not unaware of his future. It has been written down on the divine ledger for more than two thousand years for the devil to read time and time again until that last and final day. All wicked people who die will be surprised when they find themselves in a place of torment. No one really expects God to exercise His wrath with an eternal Hell – but He will. Everyone in Hell will know why they are there and will agree that God’s justice is righteous. There will be no arguments made for ignorance or leniency. But the devil? It will be no surprise to him and his angels. They know exactly where they are going and why. The time has not been set yet, but that day is coming. That will be the only surprise for Satan.

There is part of faith that should be reassuring, knowing the enemy of God’s people is a powerless and a condemned being with literally no future. Nothing is going to change the course of Satan’s path. The devil and his demons believe and tremble and are damned to Hell, and they know it. God shows the victory in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and the greatest victory is that death, Hades, and the devil will be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. They will never be released from that eternal torment. The power to seduce people to rebel against God is gone. There will be no more tears, sorrow, pain, or suffering – all brought about as a consequence of sin. When you are being tempted to sin, look Satan square in the face and remind him where he is doing. Remind him often! He knows!