Enemy

"There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counter-claimed by Satan” C. S. Lewis

Gentle Reader,

You think that people are out to get you, think of it this way we have an unseen enemy who want to fill your life with as  much misery and pain as possible!  In our wee study of the book of Job we find that there are Arresting Implications with the person introduced to us as Satan. The first two having already been considered we now turn our attention to a third. that is:

3. Satan is behind the evils that curse the earth. In reply to the question "Whence comest thou? " Satan replies "From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."

It seems clear that Satan has a special interest towards man and his place of residence. The book of Genesis gives insight to the origin on man's participation in Sin (Yes, Virginia, there is sin on the earth). Scriptures make it plain that progressively that Satan is largely responsible for the evils that afflict our race. (It's the enemy unseen that can influence one to commit acts unspeakable. Satan's words  "going to and fro and  walking up and down in it." indicate his restless and unintermittent and malevolent strategies.  He knows nothing of peace and joy which inheres beneficent service.

This perpetual motion of unrest is ever the mark of Evil, banished from God. See  Isaiah 57:20 "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." and Matthew 12:23 "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none". But besides this restlessness there is a perpetual purpose of evil in Satan's peregrinations. He is the "god of this age" who blinds the minds of the unbelieving.  We can never get far in dealing with the world's social problems or closer to home your problems until we realize that behind man's inhumanity to man is the energising and organising mind of a spiritual entity that influences men, women, boys and girls to give in to hatred, wickedness, and all sorts destestable actions that offend our senseabilities.  Many refuse to acknowledge that simple fact that we are spiritual beings with a moral compass. Some even blame "religion" and while "religion" has been used often to advance Satan's plans, men who are tools have been just as wrong in trying to make everyone fit into a mold of their own making!  "Religion" was and is not the answer Gentle Reader. But we'll come to that later as we explore why bad things happen to good people.  

Sound familiar Gentle Reader?

keep reading!

Denis