Former Vice President Joe Biden often precedes making a point in his campaign remarks with the phrase, “Look, here’s the deal.” At the outset of this post I want to borrow that phrase. Look, here’s the deal: Satan is real.
The very real Satan about which I write is NOT some anthropomorphic, red-suited character with horns and a tail. Neither is the real Satan of which I write some Hollywood-special-effects-contrived-beast of horrific proportion. Rather, I write of the real Satan; the Satan about which the Hebrew and Christian Bible warns…and knows very well.
The Satan of the Bible – whose presence is consistently described from the most ancient of creation stories through Satan’s several encounters with Jesus – is a spiritual presence that breaks the heart, twists the mind, and erodes the human spirit. The Satan of the Bible is not a revolting monster, but a presence which is far worse.
The Bible speaks of Satan as a disguised, seductive, beguiling, compelling, often attractive and even sensible presence; a presence which is knocking at the heart’s door and hoping to be welcomed inside as a friend.
The sense of the words used for Satan in the Bible are not proper nouns. Rather, the words used for Satan (ie. the tempter, ancient serpent, day star, ruler of this world, son of Dawn, Beelzebul) are descriptive of characteristics. Where God speaks with a clear, creative voice, Satan raises doubts about outcome and best direction. Where God creates a clean heart and enables a right mind, Satan whispers nagging questions. “Why should you avoid the fruit of that tree?”
This is why the presence of Satan which the Bible reveals is discovered in nagging doubt and endless second guessing. This is why Satan is described as the great confuser. This is why the Bible reveals Satan as a spirit which snakes and worms its way into our inner selves – our soul; the private, unique place of the heart and mind. Once there, Satan erodes the ability to clearly affirm and advocate for what is good. Once embedded there, Satan seductively whispers against the divinely implanted soul’s integrity, “Well, yes. Maybe. But, what about this? (Whisper, Whisper) You can go further. Get greater return. Look the other way, just this once.”
“LOOK HERE’S THE DEAL!” God’s Word within the heart and mind results in a life or lives lived for others. Satan’s presence works to advocate, give permission to, and result in shameless, self-centeredness. The more and more this shadowland, confusing presence of Satan is welcomed within, the less and less able a person is to see the light; MEANING…to tell, recognize, and be informed by the truth. Everything outside the promotion and perception of the infected self is just…well, fake news.
Satan is an incredibly old dog that has long since been able to learn any new tricks. The temptations Satan sets before the soul of human-kind, as well as for each of us personally, are always versions of the same three things: manipulating physical desire and condition for personal gain, turning spiritual gifts into organized, politicized religion, and twisting personal talents and gifts to gain power and control over others. (Matthew 4:1-11).
Remembering this helps me to understand the chaos in our country and world. To be sure, if Satan is the spiritual presence the Bible describes and the spiritual presence which seduces us in the same old ways, it is clear that far too many persons have let this Satan deep within their souls. The result? We are living in a time where Satan has once again gone viral. It is a dangerous outbreak. It is a world-wide pandemic.
Indeed, across the world disease, its treatment, and human needs of all kinds are being politicized for the advantage of one group or another. People are being trafficked in so many ways. The reality that we do not live by “bread alone” is not affirmed in policy or in valuing people as sacred souls. Aide, policy, comfort and care is so often withheld or distributed for the advantage of those in power of the bread.
Across the world, religious orthodoxies of all kinds are at the base of exclusions endorsed as a righteous cause. These same orthodoxies here at home and across the globe trumpet that their god – defined in their theology, polity, and enforcement of those orthodoxies – is on their side alone justifying their spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and sometimes physical attacks in all forms on others.
Across the world, cults of support developing around various personalities, subvert principles of democracy, suppress its expression, and seek to silence all voices other than their own. And to be absolutely sure, this is happening right here in America.
The Satanic outbreak is also very personal as well.
Perhaps you, like me, are feeling the increased pressure the present outbreak of Satan’s presence is putting on the way in which you and I have always been taught and encouraged to live our lives. We live mindful of others. We are encouraged and were taught – if nothing else – to see caring for others as in our best interest to consider what is best for others.
The “me first” constant and growing sentiments are so seductive (I have a right not to wear a mask). The “me first” sentiments erode our civility in our personal language and our reactions to other people offering a different political point of view. And perhaps most damaging of all is that the various “me first” polarization’s with which we are being tempted and often experiencing causes raw, inner feelings of simmering disgust that do nothing more than eat at our inner selves.
Recognizing satanic infection is not an excuse to say such things, when called to account, as some version of “The devil made me do it.” We have free choice. Each person is responsible for his or her actions. Each person is responsible for what inner thoughts we permit to take control of – or guide – us. We choose whether to open the door of our hearts to the spiritual presence which is knocking at our door or ringing our bell. We can and must choose to open the door to what will inspire us to be our best self vs open the door to what will conspire with our natural selfishness and do damaging things.
We are in a battle – not just for the soul of America – but in a battle for the soul in each of us. The present climate of Satan’s global and personal warming is pervasive. It must not be denied.
As we always have needed to do, people of faith must make a daily choice of who it is that we will serve. We must choose to live in a spirit of “morning by morning new mercies I will see” or we will most likely find something else to make us angry and more filled with resentment. If we choose the latter, it is a choice for untreated cancer of the soul.
So indeed, here’s the deal: Satan is real. God is greater. Love is more powerful than hate. Living a life for others is ALWAYS better than living with the regrets which inevitably pile up when we just live for ourselves. Each and every day – and sometimes these days every hour – we must hit the refresh button. This message must be on our lips and in our hearts:
Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and God only shall you serve.’”
Believing this way and acting in this way is never easy. But here is also the deal. Even in this polarized age, this is the promise to each of us. When Satan realizes our heart’s door is closed to Satan’s whispers and sometimes loud knocking, Satan leaves us, and better angels descend, emerge, and heal.