(September 30, 2025) Robert McQuillan shares sincerely…

Continually there’s bad news… dark news on TV! More robberies, killings, troubles, sinning, not just by adult men and women of various ages but also by kids!

Society is concerned that many caught criminals are not dealt with by courts as expected, that TV news reports that some already on bail are immediately re-released on bail. Our own state here has thousands of unsolved crimes and one really feels for the police. Then there’s the ongoing concern of possible world war…

Scripture and Satan’s Opponent
Dark days all around, dark deception, and a dark deceiver behind it all.

But… an opening question in this article— do people, even Christians really realise that there is a particular dark force behind all that’s not right in the world today, a force that’s always been behind humanity’s darkness, stirring people to commit atrocities?

There’s an old saying ‘The devil you say!’… sometimes stated as a question: ‘The devil you say?’ And there’s similar idioms such as ‘Speak of the devil.’ The origins go back many centuries and in general the term ‘the devil’ is regarded as a jokey statement of surprise.

Sadly the devil of scriptures— Satan— that evil deceiver has been ignored! Amazingly some Christians and so-called Christian groups even don’t believe in our enemy Satan!

More  than ever the world needs to realise who and what is behind misguided evil everywhere and, most importantly of all, find and accept its needed Saviour, Jesus!

And so, a second  question here! Why did Jesus come to earth? Here’s three reasons—

• To enable us to know God in a personal way (John 17:6).
• To became our substitute for sin’s penalty of eternal doom (John 3:16).
• To destroy the works of Satan the devil (1John 3:8).

Oh yes… that enemy of ours that we tend to forget, ignore, is surely around! Yes he’s a defeated enemy but he’s still around sidetracking nonChristians— and trying to sidetrack Christians from all that God has for us. And— all too often we make the wrong choice and let him!

Scripture and Satan’s Reality
As mentioned above a lot of people don’t believe in the devil. Some will jokingly say, ‘Oh look in the mirror and you’ll find him (or her!).’

• Well the Bible says the devil exists and God’s word is good enough for me!
• Jesus believed that the devil our adversary and opponent is real! He called him Satan—Satanus… the accuser (Matthew 4:10). He Himself was continually tempted by him (Luke 4:13), called him the enemy who tries to destroy Christians (Matthew 13:37-39Mge), named him a murderer and a liar (John 8:44); stated his end— hellfire (Matthew 25:41).
• Peter also believed – (Act 5:3; 1Peter 5:8).
• So did Paul… at least 11 times he wrote of Satan as a tormenting tempter, destroyer, hinderer, angel of light, great power and controller of the coming Antichrist. (See 1Corinthians 5:5; 2Corinthians 12: 7. In 2Corinthians 2:11, he warns not to be tricked by Satan’s deceitful schemes.
• Matthew, Mark, Luke and John believed in his existence and wrote of him. John calls him the great dragon, that old serpent called the devil and Satan who deceives and leads the whole world astray (Revelation 12:9).
• Personally I cannot conceive that humankind is so inherently evil that we would of our own volition hurt people the way we do at times, commit atrocities against other human beings, that sinning was conceived by the heart of a being created by a good God.
• There had to be, has to be, an evil power that has corrupted the hearts of men and women. And there is! His name is Satan or the devil, your enemy and mine. And we need to remember that else we get too complacent!
• Over the years of ministry I’ve seen firsthand what his evil works do to people. I’ve known, also recently, his hand against me. Now I’ve never met him— as some claim to have done— I don’t want to… but I’ve come up against his minions (demons and unclean spirits), seen his outline and smelled raw evil.

Scripture and Satan’s Background
You can find at least 35 names for the devil in the New Testament alone, depending on which translation you use.

Originally he was called Lucifer, meaning daystar or morning star. Ezekiel 28:12-19 is really a portrait of Satan and that he was originally a beautiful, anointed cherub, full of wisdom, but fell through his own pride and began to deceive others.

Isaiah 14:10-17 is similar and tells us that he obviously lost his wisdom and tried to usurp God’s very throne and replace him as the God of the universe.

Once in a position of power, trust and uniqueness, as well as in charge of the music and worship of heaven, he was disgraced and expelled along with about a third of fallen angels, now demons.

And because he couldn’t take over God’s heaven, the devil plotted to take over God’s earthly creation. He deceived Eve with the same deceptions that ruined him— pride, desire for knowledge and lust for power. (Hey… don’t blame Eve for everything! Adam failed to protect his wife!).

Genesis 3:1-4 tells how Satan insinuated that God who had given His creation everything was a liar and was withholding something good), that they didn’t have to depend on God. But Satan was the liar and deceiver withholding the truth of sin’s results!

Since then humankind has just continued to spiral downwards after those few moments of selfish acts of personal redemption. And— Creator God’s heart was broken! (Genesis 6:6NKJV, ‘And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.’ Grieved is atsab… to travail.

I like how Chaim BenTohah Biblical Hebrew Studies explains this: ‘When God saw the failure of His people to be what He created them to be, when He saw an enemy come in and vandalise His masterpiece that He laboured so in perfecting, His heart began to travail.’

Scripture and Satan’s Schemes
So what is the devil up to today? The same as he was up to back in Eden— and— the early church days! Withholding truth!

Peter tells us clearly: ‘Your enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to destroy’ (1Peter 5:8). Hey… these days that’s you and me. He already has the unsaved in his den, his dark kingdom, so he’s after us. We’re on his hit list!

No doubt some readers are foolishly thinking ‘Really, Robert…’ Yes, really! The devil loves us to sin, to be disobedient and thereby hurt God’s heart and others. He delights to catch us in our weaknesses, come under guilt and miss out on God’s further blessings.

Never think you know it all, that Satan will never get you to sin against God. Remember: Sinning is resisting God’s will for your life.

Another question: How often do we do that? Sinning is also disobeying God’s commandments. And here’s yet another question: How often do we break some of the Ten Commandments?

Paul, in Ephesians 4:22-5:1, mentioned some sinful practices that the devil loves us to be involved in…

1. Not being renewed in our thinking, still in the old mindset (v22).
2. Not being truthful to both saved and unsaved (25).
3. Not relating to each other in fellowship and love (v25).
4. Mouthing uncontrolled anger (v26).
5. Stealing (v27).
6. Giving Satan opportunities to control us and cause us to sin (v27).
7. Men deliberately not finding a job (v28).
8. Not being of a generous spirit (v28).
9. Bad language (v29 see Message Bible).
10. Putting people down inside of standing by them (v29).
11. Grieving the Spirit [not flowing with him, not using His gifts] (v30).
12. Harbouring bitterness, grudges and such (v31).
13. Blowing your top (v31).
14. Not dealing with anger (v31).
15. Fighting with others… spouse, children, Christians, leaders… (v31)
16. Slandering… gossiping, not cutting the conversation (v31).
17. Worse still, be malicious [the very nature of Satan] (v31).
18. Not being kind (v32).
19. Not being compassionate [the very nature of Jesus] (v32).
20. Not forgiving (v32).
21. Not imitating the very nature of God (5:1).

And that’s just a short list! Add Galatians 5:19-21 (noting the words ‘and the like’) and other warnings and you have a pretty exhaustive list of Satan’s works to beware of! Paul warns in Ephesians 4:27, ‘Don’t give the devil a foothold (opportunity).’

Scripture and Satan’s Road
I know, I know… I’ve been highlighting Satan! But I’m doing so to warn us of his trickery! (For years I’ve  referred to the devil as ‘Ole Tricky Dick!‘).

So let me now focus of Jesus and encourage us to travel the narrow road that leads to heaven and home! But to travel that road without the wrong backpacks!

Hallelujah that the devil’s hold over us was defeated by Jesus at Calvary. We no longer have to remain under the power of sin (it’s broken!). But we must choose to live according to righteousness and God’s standards. The right choice is vital to finding our purpose in life and enjoy God’s ongoing blessings leading to heaven and eternal life.

Here’s Paul’s advice and challenge to Christians: ‘You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to Him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything— and I do mean everything— connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life— a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces His character in you’ (Ephesians 4:20-24Mge). 

Jesus said the Christian life is a narrow way. In Matthew 7:14 our Saviour urged us to enter the gate that leads to living life to the full. That’s a good life here and now as well as in eternity!

The alternate is a wide gate and broad road that leads to destruction. That’s Satan’s road, the road to hell and it’s strewn with those who had good intentionsto do the right thing in life for Jesus but, sadly, let peer pressure, selfishness and the devil talk them out of it!

There’s no middle road! We’re not meant to hopping back and forth on both. ‘Destruction’ is apoleia…ruin, loss, waste, perdition, to perish. Really, it’s a no-brainer!

Scripture and Satan’s Backpacks
Jesus warning was clear: ‘But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’

Another question here: What would stop us from entering the narrow gate? Wrong backpacks! Backpacks full of rubbish from the past, that catch on the gate sides and hinder us from getting through.

Backpacks full of—

• Selfishness
• Wantmyownawyness
• Later Godlessness
• Satan’s lies that far off fields are greener
• Refusal to let go of self-dependence
• Not putting God first
• Not trusting Him
• Addictions
• Lack of personal prayer, praise and studying His word
• Not fellowshipping with the saints
• Having a loose tongue
• Acting out of a pre-conversion mindset
• And such!

How foolish to miss out on God’s future blessings, of leaving our mark in life, all for the sake of not entering into all that God has for us, but instead glorifying the devil and yielding to his works.

The easy choices are the quick ones that depend on our ability and cost us nothing.

Scripture and Satan’s Losing!
When we make the hard choices, they’re the right ones, the ones that cost us our selfish independence and cause us rely on God.

They’re the ones that don’t hurt God’s heart, others or ourselves! In these dark days Christians need to know and exercise them as an outstanding example to the unsaved and godless! And so cause Satan the dark troublemaker to lose out!

Need to find them? ‘Find’ in scripture is heurisko meaning to perceive and obtain. Dear reader do find that good, narrow way that marks you as a Christian committed to Christ and to obeying God’s commands.

Here’s some encouraging scriptures in respect of —

• Ephesians 6:10-11: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.’
• 2Corinthians 10:4-5: ‘The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.’
• 2Thessalonians 3:3: ‘But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.’
• 1Peter 5:8-9: ‘Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.’
• James 4:7: ‘Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.’

Yes, we can defeat this dark, deceiving troublemaker! Don’t hesitate to ask our loving heavenly Father to help you—  ‘If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you’ (James 1:5).

I like how the Message puts it— ‘If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it.’ 

• Make right choices today!
• Overcome this cunning, lying deceiver!
• And help bring light into our dark world wherever you are!
  

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Dr Robert and Pastor Maureen McQuillan’s links are OnlinerConnect@gmail.com and Facebook. As this is only a short article, not every aspect of this scriptural subject and Christian battle can be covered.

Interestingly Dr Michael Youssef’s My Journal featuring ‘a sneak peek’ of chapter two of his in-depth new book Winning the Invisible War just came to hand.
We highly recommend this monthly journal and timely book and studied… you’ll be blessed and will find more of the like of Satan’s Losings! and our victories. Links: Phone 1300 133 589/Online: At LTW.org /By mail: Using the perforated order form pp12-13— Cost: (BK0057) AUD$20.99 plus small postage. Meaningful Links: Berean’s Satan’s Subtleness/
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