The Battle Between God and Satan

The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11) 

When Jesus came to earth as a baby, God sends His angels to announce it, proclaiming it is good news. There will be great joy for all people. Our Savior has come. 

At Christ's first coming, it is good news. At the second, the news is good and bad. It is bad news for Satan. His time of terror has come to an end, even if only for a while at first.  

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:1-2) 

Christ has come and Satan has been defeated, captured and securely bound. He will no longer lead astray, deceive, and seduce the nations.

They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years... They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4,6) 

Those who belong to Christ will be resurrected. They will enjoy of time of peace, purpose, and joy because Christ will have restored His earthly kingdom and He will reign. Earth will have a perfect king, who rules with perfect wisdom and love. The future all our hearts long for will come true.  

But this is not the end of the story. There is one more chapter before the happy ending. Satan is permitted to return. 

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations...and to gather them for battle...they are like the sand on the seashore...But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. (Revelation 20:7-9) 

God bound Satan. Then He releases him. Why? What does this tell us about God? What does this tell us about humanity? Because after living in paradise, multitudes side with Satan and battle against the kingdom of God!

• God is ultimately in control. He can bind Satan, and He can release Him. Satan does have power, but it is limited by God alone.

• God provides second chances. Indeed, multiple chance to repent, to turn to Him, to change our ways.  But there will be a limit. There will be a time of judgment. Was this a second chance offered to Satan, after he had seen the beauty of a kingdom where Christ is king? Was this a second chance given to God's subjects, to choose evil and reject Him? Was this to remind us that we are never satisfied but always looking around the corner for the better deal? I am not certain of these answers but I am sure I want to choose Christ. Always.
  

• God can take the deceiver out of the world, but our hearts are still wicked. It is inside us. We desperately need a Savior to atone for our sins, and also to heal us from sin forever. We cannot do it on our own power. Left to ourselves, we march against God in defiance, wanting our own way. We want to be king! That is why we must cast our crowns before Him who will reign forever and ever.

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it... And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened...The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books... 

Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11,12,15) 

We will be judged by our deeds, but our deeds will not save us, even if it seems the good outweighs the bad. Only if our name had been written in the Book of Life by Christ Himself because we surrendered to Him in humility.

God longs to give us our heart's true desire: an eternity of peace and joy. But that only exists with Him, inside His kingdom. He has provided the way, the door in Christ. 

Will you enter it?

Beloved, thank You for saving me! Heal my heart of pride, self-centerness! I submit to Your mercy and to Your correction. I want to stay inside Your Kingdom forever because You alone are the Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father, Wonderful Counselor, our God-Hero.