By Charles Kraft and David M. Debord   

God the Father is the ultimate source of all power and authority. In Satan’s original role as Lucifer, the Archangel, God had given him great power to perform his role. When Lucifer led his rebellion against God, in what we believe was his reaction to humankind’s creation above him in the he created order (Ezek. 28:11-19, Is. 14:12-15), it appears that God allowed him to keep the power given to him. Why this was allowed, only God knows. Satan then used that delegated power to establish his evil kingdom and organize his demonic troops. This delegated authority then is the source of the evil power emanating from the demonic kingdom.

Observation 1.1

God is the originator of all spiritual laws, principles, and structures.

These spiritual realities are a part of God’s creation as are the laws, principles, and structures governing the human and material worlds. Since Satan is sterile, he has no creative powers. To accomplish his purposes, therefore, he takes what God created for good and uses it for evil. Just as God designed a hierarchical type organization among His angels (archangel, messengers, warriors, heralds) so Satan fashioned a hierarchy among his angels (rulers, authorities, powers, principalities, spiritual forces [Ephesians 6:12]).

Just as God’s desire is for the allegiance of the hearts of humankind, so Satan desires that same goal. Just as God requires obedience from those who would have a relationship with Him and be recipients of His authority and protection, so Satan demands obedience from those who are under him and who receive his power and protection. Just as God empowers words for good through blessings, so Satan empowered words for evil through curses.

Observation 1.2

Satan can only copy, counterfeit or pervert what God has created for His purposes.

Even though Satan is a created being, he is sterile and, unlike God, cannot create something from nothing This appears to be the case with all spirit beings. This may give us additional insight into what fueled Satan’s rebellion against God, since only humans were given the ability to adjust and change when needed, and Satan is no different.

Satan, by masquerading as one of God’s angels (II Corinthians 11:14), is able to counterfeit much of what only God can give. He will offer people such things as happiness, comfort, success, money, power, or whatever else they might want. The promise of free drugs and illicit sex initially draws many people into satanic cults. He offers these things because they are parallel to many of the things that God created as good gifts for His people – such as intimacy and joy. The difference in Satan’s gifts, however, is that the gift offered is always temporary, with the aim of ensnaring, deceiving, and enslaving the person receiving the gift.

Satan’s kingdom is a counterfeit. It is buttressed by deceit in place of truth, the delegated power of a rebellious archangel in place of the power that comes from God Himself. It is full of promises that he cannot keep, blessings that turn into curses, darkness in place of light, death in place of life. Satan even has enough delegated power to perform certain signs and wonders (remember Pharaoh’s magicians), though the Apostle Paul calls them lying sings and wonders (II Thess. 2:9-10).

Observation 1.3

The two dispensers of spiritual power, God and Satan, are not equal in power.

Although both kingdoms have power, their power is not equal. While other religions allow for multiple gods of equal power, the Judeo-Christian belief allows for only one God, Jehovah, who is all-powerful. In his rebellion, Lucifer took an unknown number of angels with him, angels who believed his lie that he would rise above God. We assume, however, that God’s warriors considerably outnumber those of the enemy.

Because Satan has power only as long as God allows him to have it, and to the extent that He allows, that power is confined within the rules the Father has built into the creation. And, since Jesus’ resurrection, Satan’s true position is one of defeat. Scripture indicates that Jesus “made a public spectacle” of Satan and led him “as a captive in [Jesus’] victory procession” (Col. 2:15). Satan had claimed his victory over the Father in the destruction of Jesus on the Cross. But he resurrection made his victory short-lived. Today he only wins battles; the outcome of the war has already been decided. The Cross and Empty Tomb are the victory symbols.

Observation 1.4

Satan can gain permission from God to go beyond his set limits and boundaries.

The story of Job illustrates this observation. It shows the fact that God has put restrictions on what Satan can do in the natural and material worlds. But it also reveals that God can grant permission for Satan to do his evil work outside of the established limits (Job 1:9-12). Why God would allow this is not explained. All of us have seen people who seem to be on the receiving end of more than their share of Satan’s attacks. It’s as if Satan continually keeps them in his sights, and life for them is a continuous struggle filled with pain and turmoil.

Scripture does not explain this, but addresses instead the questionings of Job. God says, “Job, were you there when I created the world? Did you contribute one thing to creation” (Job 38:1-40:1)? The implication is “Job, this is all bigger tan you. If I am able to create whatever I desire, why can’t you trust Me with what is happening to you? Can you accept that I know what is happening to you and that My plan for you is bigger than your immediate circumstance?” Job’s response was the appropriate one: “I am unworthy – how can I reply to You?”

This observation also considers the oft-asked question of any prayer minister: “Where was Jesus when this bad thing was happening to me? Why did God let this happen to me?” We will address this recurring question more fully in Observation 2.4.

Observation 1.5

Satan can hinder God’s workings.

In Daniel 10, we have the amazing story of just such a thing happening. In response to Daniel’s prayer, an angel was dispatched immediately to deliver God’s answer. But God’s angel was “blocked” for three weeks by one of Satan’s angels, a high-level spirit named the “Prince of Persia.” After a three-week standoff, it took the intervention of Michael, God’s Archangel, to help the messenger angel fight his way through to Daniel (Dan. 10:12-13).

We are left to ponder how often the answers to our prayers are held up in much the same way, as Satan assigns his angels to interfere with God’s angels bringing God’s answer to our prayers! If God always got His way, as some popular theologies would contend, everyone would be saved (2 Peter 3:9) and Jesus would not have instruct us to pray “may your Kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). His will would simply be accomplished because He wanted it.

Observation 1.6

Angels, including Satan, are below humans in the created order.

This statement is supported by the fact that we are the only created beings bearing God’s image (Gen. 1:26). The correct translation of Psalm 8:5 states that we were created inferior only to God (Elohim) Himself. The Good News Bible reads, “You made [humans] inferior only to yourself (Elohim).” No angel/spirit being is created living souls in God’s image. Only humanity is compatible for God to unite with as He did in the incarnation of Jesus.

When Adam fell, however, he obeyed Satan, thus giving Satan rights over both humans and the world God had given to Adam. (These are the rights Satan claimed in Luke 4:6.) Because of his sin, Adam lost his favored position in Creation and descended to a lower rank than Satan and his angels. Consequently, we read in Hebrews 2:7 that Jesus came to live “for a little while lower than the angels.” From this position Jesus, as the Second Adam (1 Cor. 15:45-47), won back humankind’s rightful place in Creation, a place above the angels. Thus, we battle against the angels of darkness from a superior position. Satan and his demons know this. It is probably why he works so hard to make us think otherwise.

Observation 1.7

Satan gained authority over creation from Adam.

In the fall, Adam forfeited his place of dominion as lord over the earth and all living things to Satan. Satan knew this inversion was the real prize as he began to tempt Eve. Therefore, in the Temptation of Jesus, Satan was legitimately offering Jesus dominion over the earth, because it was his to give (Luke 4:6). This point further indicates why the author of Hebrews says that Jesus came to live “for a little while lower than the angels” (Heb. 2:7). Having set aside His Divinity, Jesus chose to live as we do in a world taken over by Satan and his angels. So as the Second Adam, who shed His blood on the Cross, Jesus bought back the created order and restored it to its original position. Through His faithfulness, He restored our position of lordship over the created order, though we have not yet seen that victory consummated in the final locking up of the usurper, Satan.

Observation 1.8

There are spirit beings, arranged hierarchically, that serve either God or Satan.

Both sides of the spirit world seem to be ordered hierarchically, with each level being assigned an appropriate degree of power and authority. Again, power is delegated, passed down from God. Some angels have names that relate to their rank, (e.g. the “archangels” Michael and Gabriel), while others draw their name from their function (e.g. spirit of fear, spirit of witchcraft). On God’s side we hear of cherubim and seraphim in addition to archangels and angels. ON Satan’s side we find titles such as princes, principalities, rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, and demons.

Angels, whether God’s or Satan’s, take orders from their master. They are not creative beings like God or humans and so do not reproduce or have the ability to create something from nothing (Matt. 22:30). and though they both know the past, their knowledge of the future and of God’s plan is limited. Perhaps this is why angels and demons have such an interest in the affairs of humans (Matt. 24:36, Luke 15:10, I Tim. 5:21). The only thing about the future that demons know for sure is that their side has lost the war; all demons know about the Cross and the meaning of the Empty Tomb.

Observation 1.9 It is clear from Scripture that spiritual beings are very active and influential in the human arena.

The primary rule operating here is that good and evil angels act only on behalf of their master. But to act, angels need either Satan or God’s permission or conscious or unconscious invitation from human beings. For example, in order for demons to live within a person they need a legal right granted by that person, someone in authority over that person or generational entry point.

Satan’s angels are commissioned to diminish or destroy God’s reign in the lives of people. They prefer, however, to keep people from discovering the kingdom of God in the first place. To accomplish this they tempt, disrupt, harass, destroy, and kill (John 10:10). God’s angels, on the other hand, are assigned to protect (Matt. 18:10), perhaps to govern (Rev. 1-3), to bear God’s messages to His people (Gen. 22:11-12; Num. 22:31-35; Dan. 10:13), and to fight Satan’s angels (Dan. 10:12-13). We have recently participated in a ministry session where a person actually saw an angel who was the agent of God’s healing in her life.

One can only ponder the effect demons have had on human history by their ability to influence and turn people’s thoughts toward evil. The Holocaust is but one example of the power of this demonic influence, a power that was unleashed in one man, and though him infected a nation. This infection resulted in the slaughter of millions of precious men, women and children. Considering the hatred the enemy has towards God, it is no wonder that over six million of these dead were God’s chosen people, the Jews.

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An excerpt from “The Rules of Engagement”, published by Wagner Publications (2000) ©. Used by permission. http://www.globalharvest.org

Charles Kraft is Professor of Anthropology and Intercultural Communication at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is also President of Deep Healing Ministries, Inc., is the author of many books, and is a widely recognized authority in the fields of spiritual warfare and deliverance. Charles lives with his wife, Marguerite, in California.
 
David DeBord is Executive Director of The Christian Pastoral Counseling Center of Pasadena and of Deep Healing Ministries. He has 17 years of pastoral experience and is currently involved as a counselor and deliverance minister. David lives with his wife, Constance, and his children in California.