The Power of Satan
by
Ellen G. White
“Fallen man is Satan's lawful
captive. The mission of Jesus Christ was to rescue him from his power. Man is
naturally inclined to follow Satan's suggestions, and he cannot of himself
successfully resist so terrible a foe, unless Christ, the mighty conqueror,
dwells in him, guiding his desires, and giving him strength. God alone can limit
the power of Satan. He is going to and from in the earth, and walking up and
down in it. He is not off his watch for a single moment, through fear of losing
an opportunity to destroy souls. It is important that God's people understand
this, that they may escape his snares. Satan is preparing his deceptions that
in his last campaign against the people of God, they may not understand that it
is he. 2 Corinthians 11:14: "And no marvel, for Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light." While some deceived souls are
advocating that he does not exist, he is taking them captive, and is working
through them to a great extent. Satan knows better than God's people the power
that they can have over him, when their strength is in Christ. When they humbly
entreat the mighty Conqueror for help the weakest believer in the truth,
relying firmly upon Christ, can successfully repulse Satan and all his host. He is too cunning to come openly, boldly, with
his temptations, for then the drowsy energies of the Christian would arouse,
and he would rely upon the strong and mighty Deliverer. But Satan comes in
unperceived, and in disguise he works through the children of disobedience, who
profess godliness. Satan will go to the extent of his power to harass, tempt,
and mislead God's people.
He who dared to face, and tempt,
and taunt our Lord, and who had power to take him in his arms and carry him to
a pinnacle of the temple, and up into an exceeding high mountain, will exercise
his power to a wonderful degree upon the present generation, who are far
inferior in wisdom to their Lord, and who are almost wholly ignorant of his
subtlety and strength.
In a marvelous manner will he
affect the bodies of those who are naturally inclined to do his bidding. Satan exults for his own sake that he is regarded
as a fiction. When he is made light of, and is represented by some childish
illustration, or as some animal, it suits him well. He is thought so inferior
that minds are wholly unprepared for his wisely-laid plans, and he almost
always succeeds well. If his power and subtlety were understood, minds would be
prepared to successfully resist him.
All should understand that Satan
was once an exalted angel. His rebellion shut him out of heaven, but did not
destroy his powers and make him a beast. Since his fall he has turned his
mighty strength against the government of heaven. He has been growing more
artful, and has learned the most successful manner to come to the children of
men with his temptations.
Satan has originated fables
(lies) with which to deceive. He commenced in heaven to war against the
foundation of God's government, and since his fall has carried on his rebellion
against the law of God, and has brought the mass of professed Christians to trample
under their feet the fourth commandment, which brings to view the living God.
He has torn down the original Sabbath of the decalogue, and instituted in its place one of the
laboring days of the week.
The great original lie which he
told to Eve in Eden, "Thou shalt not surely die," was the first
sermon ever preached on the immortality of the soul. This sermon was crowned
with success, and terrible results followed. He has brought minds to receive
that sermon as truth, and ministers preach it, sing it, and pray it. No literal
Devil, and probation after the coming of Christ, are
fast becoming popular fables. The Scriptures plainly declare every person's
destiny forever fixed at the coming of the Lord. Revelation 22:11, 12: "He
that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be
filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that
is holy, let him be holy still. And behold I come quickly; and my reward is
with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."
Satan has taken advantage of
these popular fables (lies) to hide himself. He comes
to poor deceived mortals through modern Spiritualism (trinity of gods and any
other false concept of God), which places no bounds to the carnally minded,
and, if carried out, separates families, creates jealousy and hatred, and gives
liberty to the most degrading propensities. People know but little yet of the
corrupting influence of Spiritualism. The curtain was lifted, and much of its
dreadful work was revealed to me. I was shown some who have had an experience
in Spiritualism, and have since renounced it, who shudder
as they reflect upon how near they came to utter ruin. They had lost control of
themselves, and Satan made them do that which they detested. But even they have
but a faint idea of Spiritualism as it is.
Ministers inspired of Satan can
eloquently dress up this hideous monster, hide its deformity and make it appear
beautiful to many. But it comes so direct from his satanic majesty, that all
who have to do with it, he claims as his control, for
they have ventured upon forbidden ground, and have forfeited the protection of
their Maker.
When poor souls have been
fascinated with the eloquent words of the teachers of Spiritualism (trinity of
gods worship), and they have yielded to its influence, and afterward find out
its deadly character, and would renounce and flee from it, some cannot. Satan
holds them by his power, and he is not willing to let them go free. He knows
that they are surely his while he has them under his special control. But if
they once free themselves from his power, he can never bring them again to
believe in Spiritualism, and so directly under his control. The only way for
such poor souls to overcome Satan, is to discern between pure Bible truth and
fables. As they acknowledge the claims of truth, they place themselves where
they can be helped. They should entreat those who are experienced, and have
faith, to plead with the mighty Deliverer in their behalf. It will be a close
conflict. Satan will reinforce his evil angels who have controlled the
individuals; but if the saints of God with deep humility fast and pray, their
prayers will prevail. Jesus will commission holy angels to resist Satan, and he
will be driven back and his power broken from off the afflicted ones. Mark
9:29: "And he said unto them, This kind can come
forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting."
The popular ministry cannot
successfully resist Spiritualism. They have nothing to shield their flocks from
its baleful influence. Much of the sad result of Spiritualism will rest upon
ministers of this age; for they have trampled under their feet the truth, and
in its stead have preferred fables.
The sermon Satan preached to Eve
upon the immortality of the soul--"Thou shalt not surely die"--they
have re-iterated from the pulpit, and the people receive it as pure Bible
truth. It is the foundation of Spiritualism. The word of God nowhere teaches
the soul of man immortal. Immortality is an attribute of God alone. 1 Timothy 6:16: "Who only hath immortality, dwelling in
the light which no man can approach unto: whom no man hath seen, nor can see;
to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen."
God's word, rightly understood
and applied, is a safeguard against Spiritualism. An eternally burning hell
preached from the pulpit, and kept before the people, does injustice to the
benevolent character of God. It presents him as the veriest
tyrant in the universe. This wide spread dogma has turned thousands to
universalism, infidelity, and atheism.
The word of God is plain. It is a
straight chain of truth. It will prove an anchor to those who are willing to
receive it, even if they have to sacrifice their cherished fables. It will save
them from the terrible delusions of these perilous times.
Satan has led the minds of the
ministers of different churches to adhere as tenaciously to their popular
errors, as he led the Jews in their blindness to cling to their sacrifices, and
crucify Christ. The rejection of light and truth leaves men captives, and subjects
of Satan's deception. The greater the light they reject, the greater will be
the power of deception and darkness which will come upon them.
I was shown that God's true
people are the salt of the earth, and the light of the world. God requires of
them continual advancement in the knowledge of the truth, and in the way
holiness. Then will they understand the coming in of Satan,
and in the strength of Jesus will resist him. Satan will call to his aid
legions of his angels to oppose the advance of even one soul, and, if possible,
wrest it from the hand of Christ.
I saw evil angels contending for
souls, and angels of God resisting them. The conflict was severe. Evil angels
were crowding about them, corrupting the atmosphere with their poisonous
influence, and stupefying their sensibilities. Holy angels were anxiously
watching these souls, and were waiting to drive back Satan's host. But it is
not the work of good angels to control minds against the will of the
individuals. If they yield to the enemy, and make no effort to resist him, then
the angels of God can do but little more than hold in check the host of Satan, that they should not destroy, until further light be
given to those in peril, to move them to arouse and look to heaven for help.
Jesus will not commission holy angels to extricate those who make no effort to
help themselves.
If Satan sees he is in danger of
losing one soul, he will exert himself to the utmost to keep that one. And when
the individual is aroused to his danger, and, with distress and fervor, looks
to Jesus for strength, Satan fears he shall lose a captive, and he calls a
re-enforcement of his angels to hedge in the poor soul, and form a wall of
darkness around him, that heaven's light may not reach him. But if the one in
danger perseveres, and in helplessness and weakness casts himself upon the
merits of the blood of Christ, Jesus listens to the earnest prayer of faith,
and sends a re-enforcement of those angels which excel in strength to deliver
them. Satan cannot endure to have his powerful rival appealed to, for he fears
and trembles before his strength and majesty. At the sound of fervent prayer,
Satan's whole host trembles. He continues to call legions of his evil angels to
accomplish his object. And when angels, all-powerful, clothed with the armory
of heaven, come to the help of the fainting, pursued soul, Satan and his host
fall back, well knowing that their battle is lost.
The willing subjects of Satan are
faithful and active, united in one object. And although they will hate, and war
with each other, yet they will improve every opportunity to advance their
common interest. But the Great Commander in heaven and earth has limited
Satan's power.
My experience has been singular,
and for years I have suffered peculiar trials of mind. The condition of God's
people, and my connection with the work of God, has often brought upon me a
weight of sadness and discouragement which cannot be expressed. For years I
have looked to the grave as a sweet resting-place.
In my last vision I inquired of
my attending angel why I was left to suffer such perplexity of mind, and so
often thrown upon the Devil's battle-ground. I entreated that if I must be so
closely connected with the cause of truth, that I might be delivered from these
severe trials. There was power and strength with the angels of God, and I plead
that I might be shielded.
Then our past life was presented
before me, and I was shown that Satan had sought in various ways to destroy our
usefulness; that many times he has laid his plans to get us down from the work
of God; he had come in different ways, and through different agencies, to
accomplish his purposes; and through the ministration of holy angels he had
been defeated. I saw that in our journeying from place to place, he had
frequently placed his evil angels in our path to cause accidents which would
result in our losing our lives; but holy angels were sent upon the ground to
deliver. Several accidents have placed my husband and myself
in great peril, and our preservation has been wonderful. I saw that we had been
the special objects of Satan's attacks, because of our interest in, and
connection with, the work of God. As I saw the great care God has every moment
for those who love and fear him, I was inspired with confidence and trust in
God, and felt reproved for my lack of faith.” Ellen G. White, Review & Herald May 13, 1862 The Power of Satan.