The Wolf

I've heard it said that people either give Satan to much credit or not enough. You know people on both sides of this fence. The first group is usually blaming all of their own sin on Satan, essentially placing blame on this creature as a way of justifying themselves. James tells us that "each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire," so it is our 'own desire' that allows us to be tempted at all. Satan does not get credit for my sins or yours. The punishment for our sins falls completely in one of two places, either on the back of the sinner or on Jesus.

The other group feels the need to enter into a battle with Satan thinking that they can come out victorious on the other side. Big, Big, Big underestimation of who Satan is and the power that he has. He is a ferocious wolf who desires to consume and destroy. The Son of God needed angels to minister to Him after he was tempted. Job, a righteous man, buckled under the pressures of this wolf. We are far too arrogant if we think ourselves capable of standing toe to toe with this dog.

While Satan is a creature that is powerful he is not all powerful, while he knows us better than we know ourselves he is not all knowing, and while he roams to and fro over the face of the earth he is not all present. This dog is on a chain and that chain is only a fraction of the strength of the hand of God that holds it. We should have a respect for our enemy but we should not fear him, he answers to our God, Father, and King!