Our Enemy on a Leash: What the Devil Wishes He Could Do
When we know what the enemy CAN'T do, we stop giving him credit he doesn't deserve.
One thing we know from God's Word, and that is that the devil will never tell you the truth. He is the Father of All Lies.
"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." — John 8:44
Out of Bounds: The Strict Limits of Satanic Power
1. Create
Only God creates. Genesis 1:1. Satan can only twist, counterfeit, or destroy what God already made.
2. Be Everywhere at Once
Only God is omnipresent ... everywhere at once. Psalm 139:7-10. Satan has to move from place to place. Job 1:7
3. Know Everything
Only God is omniscient. Psalm 147:5. Satan has to watch and guess. He doesn’t know your thoughts.
4. Read Your Mind
Only God knows the heart. 1 Kings 8:39. Satan can suggest thoughts, but he can’t see inside you.
5. Forgive Sin
Only Jesus forgives. Mark 2:7, 1 John 1:9
6. Give Eternal Life in Heaven
Only God gives life. John 10:28. Satan only brings death and destruction. John 10:10
7. Change God’s Plan
God’s purposes stand forever. Isaiah 46:10. Satan can try to delay or attack, but he cannot stop prophecy.
8. Force You to Sin
He can tempt, but he can’t make you sin. We are each responsible for our own behavior. James 1:14. You always have a choice and a way out. 1 Corinthians 10:13
Romans 14:12 explicitly states, "So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God," emphasizing that you cannot outsource personal responsibility for your actions or conscience.
9. Defeat God
The war is already won. Revelation 20:10. Jesus crushed his head at the cross. Genesis 3:15, Colossians 2:15
10. Separate You from the Love of God
"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39
11. Answer Prayer
Only God hears and answers. Psalm 65:2
12. Love
God IS love. 1 John 4:8. Satan only knows hate, lies, and accusation. John 8:44, Revelation 12:10
13. Go above God's Authority or Sovereignty.
Unlike God, the devil is a created, finite being who cannot be everywhere at once, nor does he possess ultimate authority or final victory over the universe.
14. Prevent Salvation
The devil cannot reverse or stop God's ultimate plan of redemption, nor can he permanently snatch away or block the salvation of those who belong to Jesus Christ.
15. Relieve You from Your Personal Responsibilities.
We reap what we sow. Your actions have consequences, and you will eventually experience the results of your own choices. God tells us there is a natural law of sowing and reaping. Every. Single. Time. You reap what you sow. True in agriculture. True in your spiritual life. If you plant good habits, you’ll get good outcomes. If you plant bad habits, don’t be deceived and expect good outcomes. When people mess up their marriages, friendships, or careers, they get upset and often blame God. Nope. God didn’t do this to you. You did this to you. If you plant good habits, you’ll get good outcomes. If you plant bad habits, don’t expect good outcomes. You reap what you sow. Your choice.
16. The Devil Can’t Keep You Fearful.
Psalm 27:1
17. The Devil Can’t Be in Charge.
Psalm 22:28
18. The Devil Can’t Demand Your Obedience.
Romans 6:16
19. The Devil Can’t Touch the Source of Your Life. Colossians 3:3
What the "Source of Your Life" Means
Union with Christ: Your true, eternal life comes from being joined with Jesus. When you accept faith, your old sinful self dies, and your new spiritual life is born from Him.
20. The Devil Can’t Be Your Friend.
2 Corinthians 6:14
21. The Devil Can’t Easily Fool You When You Know the Shepherd’s Voice.
John 10:5 states that sheep will never follow a stranger, but will run away, because they do not recognize an unfamiliar voice.
22. The Devil Can’t Have Authority Over You. Luke 10:19
That’s when I pray to Jesus when I'm tempted and then command Satan, as the Bible says to do, to LEAVE......ALWAYS by the authority of Jesus Christ. The Satan will obey Christ but he will not obey me.
Example: "In the name of Jesus and by His authority, I command you Satan to leave my house."
We are not stronger nor more powerful than Satan, but Jesus is! Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4
23. The Devil Can’t Win. 1 Corinthians 15:57
Satan is powerful, but he is LIMITED. He is a CREATED BEING. God is unlimited. He is the Creator. So we don’t fear the counterfeit. I don't know about you, but I choose to worship Christ.
“A man reaps what he sows.” That’s what we need to understand and not be foolish. But what does that mean?
You will harvest what you plant.
You will get out what you put in.
Your outcomes will be determined by your inputs.
The results of your life will be based on the decisions you make, the habits you stake, and the habits you break.
Paul gives us a spiritual example when he talks about the differences between sowing to the flesh and sowing to the Spirit. The flesh refers to our sinful nature. Some sow (or plant seeds) to the flesh, meaning they do what’s wrong, ungodly, and sinful. The result? They reap (or harvest) destruction. Bad decisions lead to bad consequences.
Others sow (or plant seeds) to the Spirit, meaning they allow themselves to be led and empowered by the Holy Spirit, so they do what honors God. The result? They reap (or harvest) eternal life.
So if you live your life with and for God, that’s what you’re going to get out of it. Not just now but eternally. If you live your life for yourself, ignoring God and apart from him? That’s what you’re going to get out of it. Not just now but (especially) eternally.
One thing we know from God's Word, and that is that the devil will never tell you the truth. He is the Father of All Lies.
"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." — John 8:44
Out of Bounds: The Strict Limits of Satanic Power
1. Create
Only God creates. Genesis 1:1. Satan can only twist, counterfeit, or destroy what God already made.
2. Be Everywhere at Once
Only God is omnipresent ... everywhere at once. Psalm 139:7-10. Satan has to move from place to place. Job 1:7
3. Know Everything
Only God is omniscient. Psalm 147:5. Satan has to watch and guess. He doesn’t know your thoughts.
4. Read Your Mind
Only God knows the heart. 1 Kings 8:39. Satan can suggest thoughts, but he can’t see inside you.
5. Forgive Sin
Only Jesus forgives. Mark 2:7, 1 John 1:9
6. Give Eternal Life in Heaven
Only God gives life. John 10:28. Satan only brings death and destruction. John 10:10
7. Change God’s Plan
God’s purposes stand forever. Isaiah 46:10. Satan can try to delay or attack, but he cannot stop prophecy.
8. Force You to Sin
He can tempt, but he can’t make you sin. We are each responsible for our own behavior. James 1:14. You always have a choice and a way out. 1 Corinthians 10:13
Romans 14:12 explicitly states, "So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God," emphasizing that you cannot outsource personal responsibility for your actions or conscience.
9. Defeat God
The war is already won. Revelation 20:10. Jesus crushed his head at the cross. Genesis 3:15, Colossians 2:15
10. Separate You from the Love of God
"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39
11. Answer Prayer
Only God hears and answers. Psalm 65:2
12. Love
God IS love. 1 John 4:8. Satan only knows hate, lies, and accusation. John 8:44, Revelation 12:10
13. Go above God's Authority or Sovereignty.
Unlike God, the devil is a created, finite being who cannot be everywhere at once, nor does he possess ultimate authority or final victory over the universe.
14. Prevent Salvation
The devil cannot reverse or stop God's ultimate plan of redemption, nor can he permanently snatch away or block the salvation of those who belong to Jesus Christ.
15. Relieve You from Your Personal Responsibilities.
We reap what we sow. Your actions have consequences, and you will eventually experience the results of your own choices. God tells us there is a natural law of sowing and reaping. Every. Single. Time. You reap what you sow. True in agriculture. True in your spiritual life. If you plant good habits, you’ll get good outcomes. If you plant bad habits, don’t be deceived and expect good outcomes. When people mess up their marriages, friendships, or careers, they get upset and often blame God. Nope. God didn’t do this to you. You did this to you. If you plant good habits, you’ll get good outcomes. If you plant bad habits, don’t expect good outcomes. You reap what you sow. Your choice.
16. The Devil Can’t Keep You Fearful.
Psalm 27:1
17. The Devil Can’t Be in Charge.
Psalm 22:28
18. The Devil Can’t Demand Your Obedience.
Romans 6:16
19. The Devil Can’t Touch the Source of Your Life. Colossians 3:3
What the "Source of Your Life" Means
Union with Christ: Your true, eternal life comes from being joined with Jesus. When you accept faith, your old sinful self dies, and your new spiritual life is born from Him.
20. The Devil Can’t Be Your Friend.
2 Corinthians 6:14
21. The Devil Can’t Easily Fool You When You Know the Shepherd’s Voice.
John 10:5 states that sheep will never follow a stranger, but will run away, because they do not recognize an unfamiliar voice.
22. The Devil Can’t Have Authority Over You. Luke 10:19
That’s when I pray to Jesus when I'm tempted and then command Satan, as the Bible says to do, to LEAVE......ALWAYS by the authority of Jesus Christ. The Satan will obey Christ but he will not obey me.
Example: "In the name of Jesus and by His authority, I command you Satan to leave my house."
We are not stronger nor more powerful than Satan, but Jesus is! Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4
23. The Devil Can’t Win. 1 Corinthians 15:57
Satan is powerful, but he is LIMITED. He is a CREATED BEING. God is unlimited. He is the Creator. So we don’t fear the counterfeit. I don't know about you, but I choose to worship Christ.
“A man reaps what he sows.” That’s what we need to understand and not be foolish. But what does that mean?
You will harvest what you plant.
You will get out what you put in.
Your outcomes will be determined by your inputs.
The results of your life will be based on the decisions you make, the habits you stake, and the habits you break.
Paul gives us a spiritual example when he talks about the differences between sowing to the flesh and sowing to the Spirit. The flesh refers to our sinful nature. Some sow (or plant seeds) to the flesh, meaning they do what’s wrong, ungodly, and sinful. The result? They reap (or harvest) destruction. Bad decisions lead to bad consequences.
Others sow (or plant seeds) to the Spirit, meaning they allow themselves to be led and empowered by the Holy Spirit, so they do what honors God. The result? They reap (or harvest) eternal life.
So if you live your life with and for God, that’s what you’re going to get out of it. Not just now but eternally. If you live your life for yourself, ignoring God and apart from him? That’s what you’re going to get out of it. Not just now but (especially) eternally.
