This is what the angel shows to John, “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is THE DEVIL AND SATAN, and BOUND HIM FOR A THOUSAND YEARS; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, SO THAT HE SHOULD DECEIVE THE NATIONS NO MORE till the thousand years WERE FINISHED.” (Revelation 20:1-3) So, John describes Satan as being bound so he could NO LONGER deceive people for a thousand years! That presents a real problem for those WHO BELIEVE, that when Christ was crucified, WE ARE, RIGHT NOW, living in the MILLENNIAL REIGN. Let’s see what the Bible says about this!
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against THE DEVIL’S EVIL PLANS. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:11-12) Paul warns us, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent (devil) DECEIVED EVE by his craftiness, so YOUR MINDS MAY BE CORRUPTED from the simplicity that is in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3)
When Jesus was praying for His disciples, to the Father right before the crucifixion, He said, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should KEEP THEM FROM THE EVIL ONE.” (John 17:15) So, was everyone protected from the devil? “…a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he KEPT BACK part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, WHY HAS SATAN FILLED YOUR HEART TO LIE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? You have NOT LIED TO MEN BUT TO GOD.” Then Ananias, fell down and BREATHED HIS LAST. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.” (Acts 5:1-6)
We need to PRAY THIS very often, “…do not lead us into temptation, But DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:13)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham