he can’t
I’m not sure what got me to thinking about that ole’ liar (John 8:44), trickster (Ephesians 6:11), accuser (Revelation 12:10), coward (James 4:7), pretender (1 Peter 5:8), satan (I refuse to capitalize his name - it’s not a proper name!), it may have been re-mourning a fallen brother. While he is called the “prince of this world (John 14:30) and the “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4) something got me to thinking about what satan CAN’T do.
I came up with four wonderful things I want to toss in his face, you might think of others and if you do I’d like for you to post them:
1. Praise God that satan can’t read your heart or your thoughts: Yeah, he seems to know what tempts us and taylor makes those temptations but I’ve not found in the scriptures where he can read our thoughts. God-the Father, Son and Spirit-knows (Psalms 44:2; Luke 16:15; Acts 15:8; Romans 8:27; 1 John 3:20). There is something refreshing about all this on both sides.
1. he can’t tempt you above what you are able to handle or what God will provide an escape for (1 Corinthians 10:13). Yes, he can tempt you but God is faithful and HE will always Provide a way and will not allow that serpent to put more on you than you can handle.
1. he can’t see the future: That is rather amazing to think about. he seems to know much but he couldn’t see in the garden the end of his momentary victory, he couldn’t see at the cross that he was losing even as he thought he was winning. he can’t see the future! God can and the Christian, through the Word of God can know it too! satan is undone by his own ego, thinking he is victor when he is failing.
1. he can’t destroy both body and soul in hell (Matthew 10:28): We tend to fear satan, and that is misplaced. We should only fear satan if we don’t “fear” God.
Here’s three other random thoughts: he can’t stand defeat, he can’t stand up to opposition, he can’t rest.
So that’s my list. Thank God his power is greater and for some reason today I was just thankful for what satan can’t do to me or to my loved ones and friends and for what he can’t know. So what have I left out?