God sent His Son to rescue us from the kingdom of the devil, because it is only through Jesus Christ that one will be able to enter the Kingdom of God. By default, we are in the devil’s kingdom—it is only when you are saved that you are transferred to the Kingdom of God. Forget about religion, because Jesus is the door to waking up and entering the system of God. When you enter the Kingdom of God, you regain sight and begin to recognize the deceptions of Satan.
The devil has gone to great lengths to ensure that his kingdom is never exposed and that he—Satan—doesn’t appear to exist. So, any covenant with humans involves a covenant of death. Anyone revealing information about Satan’s kingdom risks death.
“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News…” — 2 Corinthians 4:4
When each person is born into this world, they are born into a system—that system is the kingdom of darkness. They can’t see it, but they live in it and by its code because Satan, who controls the system, has blinded the minds of anyone who isn’t in Christ. You won’t be able to see him, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t exist. The devil works behind the scenes—that’s why Paul said God has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His dear Son.
Colossians 1:13
The way the Bible describes the devil is different from how the devil is portrayed in the media or what we’ve been told. Lucifer, before becoming Satan the adversary, was so beautiful that, as a result of his beauty, pride filled his heart and he wanted to be God.
“You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty… Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness:” — Ezekiel 28:17
How then do you portray someone full of wisdom and perfect in beauty as a red-horned figure—an ugly creature?
The devil has been able to deceive the world into forming a religion that claims God doesn’t exist (Atheism), while at the same time making sure people believe he, Satan, doesn’t exist—but there is no religion for that. Even those who claim to know him see him as some red-horned figure. The devil is an unseen enemy who has hidden himself from the world, yet he is the god of this world and controls all the kingdoms of the world.
“The devil led him [Jesus] up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, ‘I will give you all their authority and splendor…'” — Luke 4:5-6
Paul again in Ephesians 2:2:
“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.” — Ephesians 2:2
“The air” refers to the invisible realm above the earth, where Satan and his demons move and exist. This space is the location of the earth’s atmosphere, or “air.” The devil’s domain is the world, and he rules the world not from hell, but from the heavens above the earth.
Paul said in Ephesians 6:12 that the devil and his cohorts are in the heavenly places—not in hell:
“…the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
They were cast out of Heaven, where God’s throne is, but were not thrown into hell; rather, they fell into the heavens above the earth. Jesus also said the lake of fire is prepared for the devil and his angels—meaning they are currently not in hell (even though some of them are):
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'” — Matthew 25:41
Satan and the other fallen angels who rebelled against God have been influencing the world since their fall. We must be very vigilant and spiritually minded, for this world is under the control of the powers of darkness.
The devil and his cohorts control the world through religion, politics, finances, occultism, entertainment, and sex. He has a grip on every aspect of society. Paul said in Ephesians 6:12:
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
The devil even has power over death:
“…that through death he [Jesus] might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” — Hebrews 2:14
Although Satan has power and authority in the current world system in which we exist, his power is limited, always under the sovereign control of God, and it is temporary:
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” — Romans 16:20
Satan in all his power and wisdom couldn’t penetrate the hedge of protection around Job:
“And the LORD said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.’ So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.” — Job 1:12
The workings of Satan are in every sphere of life—everywhere you go. He controls the media, he controls religion, he controls the kings of the earth, he controls money through occultism and the like. He is in charge of the entertainment industry. When you go to church, he is there. All the demons and false prophets are under his control. He fears no one. There was a hedge of protection around Job, yet he went to God in Heaven to ask for permission to destroy him.
He even tempted Jesus Christ—a whole Jesus Christ, who is the King of Kings. So how much more you and me? His goal is for you to bow down and worship him so that you end up in hell and later the lake of fire.
The devil’s goal is for you and me to end up in hell and later in the lake of fire. He will do whatever it takes in his power to send you there. If making you poor will make you forsake God, he will do it; and if making you rich will make you forsake God, he will cause it to happen.
The reason is that he has already been judged together with his cohorts, and their place is the lake of fire. Jesus said the devil’s goal is to steal, kill, and destroy:
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” — John 10:10
That is all he is here to do, because whether he makes you rich or poor, he is already going to the lake of fire. There is no salvation for him or anything whatsoever in the future apart from being cast into the lake of fire.
The devil will deceive the whole world, and anyone who is being deceived will end up in the lake of fire with him.
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.” — Revelation 20:10
“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” — Revelation 12:9
Have you noticed where the devil was cast to when he rebelled against God? This very earth—he isn’t in hell.
Revelation 12:9 — “He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
Job 1:6-7 — “One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan answered the Lord, ‘From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.'”
If the devil isn’t in hell but on this very earth, going around seeking someone to devour, then going to hell is a foolish thing—because the devil who deceived you and got you there hasn’t even tasted that place. If hell were so good, he would have gone there to set up his kingdom—not in this world.
If you find yourself in hell, you’ll realize the consequences of your choices.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” — 1 Peter 5:8
