Satan’s Issues With God
By Bill Davis
It is evident throughout God’s Word that Satan has great issues with God. What all may have happened in eons past is not fully revealed. There are many questions about God and Satan and the fall of Lucifer in the predated period of eternity. But what is clear in the Bible is that Satan takes great issue with three major aspects of Truth. And all believers are constantly attacked in the area of these three theological truths. Let me explain what I mean.
The first issue that Satan has with God is the very central Truth of Deity; that there is:
One God
One God alone, by Himself, as Deity. That God alone created the world (see Isaiah 44:24). Alone, unassisted, and by Himself, acting in the divine nature and power of His being. One God alone, unassisted, untaught, all sufficient acting on His good pleasure and motivated by the perfections of His own goodness. Satan takes great issue with the fact that God does not share His Deity with another. He may impart power to angels and man, but that is at His own control and discretion. And He never relinquishes ownership of His power!
In Genesis 3:5, the serpent said to Eve, “For God cloth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
There are several dangerous areas in these words of Satan. One is, that it is not what God knows that matters to Adam and Eve, but what God said. We can only know what He knows by what He says. So we should not fall into this trap of `well God knows.’ We live by what He says. “But he answered and said, It is written, Man. shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). What God says is the most important thing to man. We will act and be judged on what God says in the Word!
There is a second dangerous area in the words of Satan in Genesis 3:5. And that is that “ye shall be as gods.” The very idea of one eternal God is an affront to Satan’s world. It is too much power and knowledge for one being. Share it, Satan demands. Relinquish some of it. So, he introduced to man a deceptive idea to be as gods. He has always pushed men to be gods. Sadly, Adam and Eve lost so much in not being contented to be human and beloved by this great God.
Isaiah 14:12-14 says, “How art thou fallen from heaven, 0 Lucifer, son of the morning, how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. ”
It did not work for him. Satan could not master the art of being a god. He could not succeed at being God. He was not, nor could he ever be God. He wanted to, oh so badly; he wand to be a god! Such a thought was toxic to him. He was cut down!’
In Matthew 4:8-9, at the temptation of Jesus that urge for worship and recognition as a power, as a deity, drove Satan to the presence of a fasting Jesus. And Satan said in verse nine, “…all these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Such a desire to be like God, or even to be a god! Satan has always had issue with this God. Why can’t there be more than one God?
And, what claim does he have to worship? Why should this Jesus Name Apostolic Church, blood bought, spirit-filled Church, worship Satan? Why should the world, created by God, shaped and formed by the divine mind of God, give allegiance or praise to an evil force that seeks only its own desires and purposes?
Satan might as well get over it. There is only one God. Not a trinity of gods or persons. Not a multiple of gods or divine beings. There is one eternal, all sufficient God, alone as Deity, unassisted in creation, unmatched in wisdom and knowledge. And that God was manifest in one person alone, which was Jesus Christ. (see 1 John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 5:19).
God told Adam to name the creatures that had been created, and whatever he called them that is what they would be called. Eve was not named until she was put out of the garden. There Adam called her name Eve— `the mother of all living’.
Adam named the animals. He named his wife. But he did not name God. God named Himself. That privilege is God’s alone. He named Himself. And that name is not trinity. Or the Holy Three. But “I am the Lord, besides me there is no God”.
God did not let Mary and Joseph name the Son. He named the Son. And He gave the name that was His name. That name is Jesus. Hebrews 1:4 says Jesus received His name by inheritance. John 17 tells us of Jesus praying to the Holy Father to “keep them through thine own Name” (v 11). That Name was the Name with which Jesus came into the world. “I have come in my Father’s Name” (John 5:43). In Acts 4:12, the Bible tells us there is no other Name for salvation. Satan takes great issue with this Truth of one God who is Spirit and who’s Name—the only saving Name—is Jesus Christ.
The second great issue Satan has with God is:
The Book
“Yea hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1). Two sentences. Thirty-eight words. That is all. Satan used two sentences and thirty-eight words and plunged the first family and future humanity into a world of sin and a world of painful consequences.
Believing thirty-eight words plunged the human race into tragic consequences that everyone today is suffering in some way because of Adam and Eve’s failure to comply with God’s Wow God’s Word is paramount. It is right and always right. It is true, and always true. And when it is circumvented, difficulties arise.
Religious people believe that to circumvent the Word and just have the Spirit is the answer to a world caught up in the culture of sin and addictions. The Word is not the problem for this society, but it is the answer—when it is believed and acted upon.
David made it plain in Psalms 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.” To think you can avoid or ignore the Word of God and it will produce divine activity is a lie. God is bound to His Word; He acts on His Word.
Look carefully at Genesis 1:1-3: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of f’ the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light; and there was light. ”
God said.
The facts are clear. God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was formless and void. The globe was covered with water. And it was shrouded with darkness.
Blackness encompassed this earth; water covered the face. It was formless and empty. The Spirit hovered, brooded over the face of the water. God was there. God was acting. God does not act apart from the Word. Nothing happened until God said, “Let there be light.”
At the voice of God, the Spirit began to move.
The Word and the Spirit caused a world to come into being. The power of God was active. The darkness began to leave. Light came. Water became oceans, seas, and rivers. Grass and vegetation began to grow. Animals, stars, moons and sea creatures came into being. A world was born. And it all came about by the moving of the divine Spirit of God and the Word of God!
Again, it was all brought about by the Word and the Spirit. Nothing else helped or assisted God in creation.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. The Spirit of the Lord liberated this earth from water, darkness and void. And brought out all of its treasures to be available for the future population of man.
Why is the Word so important? Because it is divinely inspired. It is God-breathed. It is from the very life of God.
Also, because it gives a consensus of whom God is. The world has no consensus of anything of value. The Congress, the President and the Federal System have no consensus on things of real importance. What about God or prayer in schools or abortion? All are divided. The Supreme Court is almost always divided on issues. They hear everything there is to hear about an issue and still have no consensus on major issues.
In Matthew 16:13 and Mark 8:27, Jesus asked the question, “Who do men say that I am?” And the answer came back, “Some say you are Elijah, some say Jeremiah or John the Baptist or one of the Prophets.” What does that tell you about the world around us?
It is clear the religious world and the political world have no consensus of who Jesus is. That is why we do not go to the courts, the politicians, or the Constitution to find out about God or abortion or homosexuality. The Supreme Court often rules 7-2, 6-3, and 5-4 on major issues. They have no consensus. We go to the Word. It is clear.
This Book declares from beginning to the end there is one God. The Plan of Salvation is laid out plainly. Separation from the world is clearly established. The principle of abstention is set forth in the Garden of Eden. Do not touch the tree!
Satan takes issue with one Book. One theology. One document to be believed. Satan said it is too much to put so much power in one book. Why not the Koran? Or why not the sayings of Confucius? Or the Book of the Mormon? It is clear. Confucius sayings are the words of Confucius. The Book of Mormon is the words of Joseph Smith and other alleged prophets.
But the Bible is God’s Word. Revealing to us an eternal God. One God who created the world. One God shaped the universe to His purpose and will. The Book of God explains the Plan of Salvation. It is the Book God has bound Himself to. That is an offense to Satan. But “Let God be true and every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).
The third great issue Satan has is:
The Issue with Singularity
The very truth of one separate entity and body of believers we call the Church is not acceptable to him and this religious culture.
In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, “…and I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Jesus was emphatic about this great Truth. The Truth of one Church. His Church. Built upon the revelation of God in Jesus Christ. A Church called by His Name. In Acts 4:12 it states clearly, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” This Church, has been entrusted with His great Name. Our salvation is in no other name. We are baptized into the most superior Name known to men. Philippians 2:9 declares, “Wherefore God also bath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
The most superior Name in heaven and hell or under the earth is Jesus Christ. “Upon this rock I will build my Church.. ” so says Jesus.
Satan takes great issue with this singularity of doctrine. Only one Church. That is like the Book—or God—one only. That is too much! Jesus did not say there would not be
other churches. He did say He would build only one! He did not say there would not be other religious bodies. He did inspire the Apostle Paul to say, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free: and have been all made to, drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13).
You do not believe into the Church. But you are baptized into Christ. Romans 6:3-4 says, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” It is not a gospel of believism but a gospel of faith, death, burial and resurrection.
Jesus explained to Nicodemus that quiet night that a man does not believe into the Kingdom of God but he must be born into the Kingdom. Man was born into the first Kingdom. So marvel not that you must be born into the second Kingdom. Without the second birth, you cannot see or behold this great spiritual Kingdom. Or you cannot enter into this great Kingdom. You must be born again of the water and the Spirit. John 3:3-5 verifies this, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus with unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. ”
Satan takes great issue with one Apostolic Church. He runs counter to its doctrine. He opposes its purpose and its place in tire world. But it is all in vain. The promise is real. “The gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church!” The Doctrine of Singularity runs throughout the Bible like a thick river, rushing its way page by page.
It was one garden, and in the garden one man and one woman. In the day of the flood, there was one family and one ark with one door.
For Israel’s salvation in Egypt, there was one promise of security. And that was the blood on the doorposts. When the angel saw the blood on that one night, the death plague would pass over that Jewish household.
On Israel’s journey from Egypt, under the leadership of God, there was one cloud by day and one pillar of fire by night.
The wilderness salvation for Israel when the fiery serpent bit them, they were to look at one serpent of brass that Moses lifted up.
In Rahab’s Jericho, salvation for her and her family was realized in one house and with one scarlet thread.
This Church is the light of the world. The City on the hill. The salt of the earth. Acts 4:12 tells us of no other name for salvation than the Name of Jesus. The blood of all animals is now useless. Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us from all sin. Paul said, `for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body. “The same Apostle said in Ephesians 4:5, by divine inspiration, there is “one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.”
God will present this one Church to Himself. “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing: but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:26-27).
This Church has been entrusted with the knowledge of God, the power of God and the Name of God!
And the gates of hell cannot do anything about it!
This article “Satan’s Issues with God” written by Bill Davis is excerpted from his book The Gates of Hell and the Prevailing Church.
