Looking for trouble ∙∙
The LORD asked Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” – Job 1:7
Revelation 12:9-11
9 The great dragon – the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world – was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.
10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last – salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth – the one who accuses them before our God day and night.
11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
Looking for Trouble: The Enemy’s Relentless Prowl
In modern English, the phrase “looking for trouble” is a colloquial expression that means acting in a way that is likely to invite difficulty, danger, or conflict. This phrase aptly describes the enemy, Satan, who is always on the lookout for opportunities to cause harm and destruction.
This idea is even captured in pop culture, such as Elvis Presley’s song “Trouble”:
“If you’re looking for trouble, you came to the right place
If you’re looking for trouble, just look right in my face.
Because I’m evil, my middle name is misery
Well, I’m evil, so don’t you mess around with me.”
These lyrics reflect the essence of the enemy’s nature: evil, destructive, and always ready to stir up chaos.
The Enemy’s Names and Nature
The Scriptures reveal the enemy’s character through the many names he is given:
- Satan: The adversary.
- The Devil: The accuser or slanderer.
- Abaddon and Apollyon: The destroyer.
- Angel of Light: A deceiver who masquerades as good.
- Lucifer: The fallen one.
- The Great Dragon: A symbol of his power and ferocity.
- The God of This World: Reflecting his temporary dominion (2 Corinthians 4:4).
- The Prince of the Power of the Air: Indicating his influence over the world (Ephesians 2:2).
- The Wicked One and The Evil One: Emphasizing his malevolent nature.
While these names describe his power and cunning, they also remind us of his ultimate defeat. To avoid lending him undue dignity by mentioning his name, I choose to refer to him simply as “the enemy.”
The Enemy’s Presence and Power
The enemy operates in the shadows, invisible yet unmistakably active. He makes his presence known anywhere, whenever he desires. He is described as the “god of this world” with temporary dominion, but his power is limited and subject to the Father’s authority.
1 Peter 5:8 warns us: “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
- Peter likens the enemy to a lion, one of the fiercest and most feared predators of the ancient world. In Peter’s mind, the lion is: Menacing and Ferocious: A cruel beast of prey.
- Relentless: Always on patrol, pacing back and forth, prowling, stalking, and searching for potential victims.
- Intimidating: His mere presence is terrifying, and his roar strikes fear into the hearts of his prey.
The enemy’s goal is not merely to frighten or capture his prey but to maul and utterly devour it.
The Enemy’s Goal: Destruction
His mere presence is intimidating, but if that’s not enough, he terrorizes his would-be victims with his roar. Regrettably, all children of the King are on his watchlist. Of course, some more than others, depending upon how effectively they are serving the Father.
The enemy’s mission is always the same: to spread damage, destruction, and death. He seeks to make the children of the King ineffective in their service to Him.
A Master of Deception
With thousands of years of practice, the enemy is highly skilled, totally brilliant, and exceedingly cunning. How long do you think it took him to deceive Eve and provoke Adam to sin in the Garden of Eden? His tactics are subtle yet devastating.
Devouring His Prey
The Greek word translated as “devour” is katapiomai, derived from kata, meaning “down,” and pino, meaning “to drink.”
This word conveys the sense of “gulping down, swallowing hurriedly, or gobbling up.” To illustrate, imagine two dogs on either side of a barbecue, watching hamburgers being cooked. The chef is momentarily distracted, and two hamburgers fall off the grill. One hamburger heads toward a small Yorkshire Terrier. He lets the hamburger fall to the ground and nibbles at it cautiously, taking small bites. He eats as much as he can, as quickly as he can.
In contrast, a Rottweiler catches the other hamburger in mid-air and swallows it in one gulp. The Rottweiler devoured it.
This action vividly pictures the enemy’s intent; he doesn’t just cause harm, he devours.
How to Resist the Enemy
Despite the enemy’s power, believers are not defenseless. James 4:7 provides a clear strategy: “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Steps to Victory
- Humble Yourself Before God: Recognize His sovereignty and submit to His authority.
- Resist the Devil: Stand firm in your faith, using the Word of God as your weapon.
- Trust in the Father’s Power: The enemy may be strong, but the Father is omnipotent, Pantokrator, the Ruler of All.
REFLECT & PRAY
Are you keeping an eye out for the enemy’s tactics? Do you effectively stand your ground and stay strong in your faith?
Father, thank You that You are the Lord God Omnipotent, the Ruler of All. Help me to trust in Your sovereignty and stand firm in faith, even in the face of trials. Strengthen me to overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony.
INSIGHT
Satan’s Access to the Heavenly Court
The book of Job offers a rare glimpse into the spiritual realm, revealing that Satan, the enemy, has direct access to the very presence of the Father. He is currently free to come and go as he pleases.
Consider Job 1:6, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.”
This access allows Satan to accuse and challenge the faithfulness of God’s people. He is always looking for trouble, seeking opportunities to test and destroy.
The Enemy’s Challenge
Satan is convinced that Job’s faithfulness is solely due to the Father’s blessings and protection. He challenges the Father to a test, claiming that if Job’s blessings are removed, he will curse God.
While we, as readers, know what is happening in the heavenly court, Job himself is unaware. He had not read the book of Job, because he had not yet written it.
The Father’s Permission
The Father permits Satan to test Job, allowing him to bring suffering into Job’s life. The enemy’s ultimate goal is to cause Job to turn his back on the Father.
This is perhaps best captured in the words of Job’s wife: Job 2:9, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”
She is urging Job to give up, blame, and curse the Father God who brought all these terrible things upon him. And finally, simply drop dead. Job’s wife is promoting the enemy’s plan. One can only imagine what it must have been like for Job to have such an uplifting, encouraging, and supportive companion.
Job’s Magnificent Response
Despite his immense suffering, Job responds with unwavering faith, Job 2:10, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?”
In all this, Job did not sin. His response is a powerful reminder of faith and trust in the Father, even in the face of unimaginable trials.
The Enemy is Restrained
Throughout human history, the Father has imposed a certain level of restraint on the enemy. While Satan possesses tremendous power, it is limited by the Father’s sovereignty. However, what has already occurred pales in comparison to what is about to happen. A time is coming when the enemy will be cast out of heaven and hurled down, and the restraints will be removed.
Revelation 12:9 describes this moment: “The great dragon, the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world, was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.”
The Enemy’s Realization and Rage
Until now, the enemy has deceived himself, convinced that his plans might ultimately succeed in one way or another. However, when he is cast out of heaven, he realizes that his time is running out. Furious and enraged, his fury intensifies, and he becomes even more destructive.
The Target of His Wrath
He becomes obsessed with annihilating the Jewish people and all the children of the King, those who have accepted Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
This is clearly stipulated in Revelation 12:17, “So the dragon was enraged with the woman and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”
The enemy’s rage is directed at two groups: “The Nation of Israel: those who keep the commandments of God and believers in Christ: Those who hold to the testimony of Jesus.”
This will be a terrible time, the worst of all times in human history. It is referred to as The Great Tribulation, and it will be marked by unparalleled suffering and persecution.
How Children of the King Overcome
Despite the enemy’s power and fury, the children of God are able to stand firm and overcome him. How?
We are told in Revelation 12:11, “They have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.”
Children of the King overcome the enemy through:
- The Blood of the Lamb: Christ’s sacrifice on the cross represents the ultimate victory over sin and death.
- The Word of Their Testimony: Their faith and witness serve as a powerful testament to God’s strength.
- Fearless Devotion: They prioritize their eternal life in Christ above their earthly existence.
Is this the fulfillment of the promise that Jesus made in Luke 10:19? Jesus said, “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy.” Did they exercise authority over the enemy through the blood of Christ? One day, we will know for sure.
Temporary Defeat vs. Eternal Victory
While the enemy may achieve temporary victories on earth, the ultimate triumph of the children of the King is eternal. As Grant Osborne notes: “The victory of Satan over believers is both earthly and temporary (Revelation 13:7), while their victory over him is final and eternal.”
The Father’s Sovereignty vs. Satan’s Limited Power
Satan is described as a kosmokrator (ruler of this world) in Ephesians 6:12, but his power is temporary and limited (cf. John 16:11, 2 Corinthians 4:4).
The Father, on the other hand, is the pantokrator (Ruler of All), as declared in Revelation 19:6, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty [the Lord God omnipotent], reigns.”
Even in the midst of trials and tribulations, believers can rest in the assurance that the Father is sovereign and that ultimate victory belongs to Him.
The Final Victory
The enemy crawls the earth, looking for trouble and seeking to devour. Though his power is real, it is temporary. His defeat is inevitable, and his time is running out. As children of the King, we are called to stand firm, resist the enemy, and trust in the Lord God Almighty. The enemy may rage, but the Lamb of God has already won.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯3-07-2
© Dr. H 2025
Dr H Reflections 