When will Satan be defeated?

Answer

Satan, the devil, Beelzebul, Lucifer – known by many names, yet the most potent force of evil in the universe has already been vanquished. The countdown to the end of his malevolent activities began when the Son of God emerged from the tomb “And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.”, (Matthew 28:7). Jesus conquered sin and death, serving notice to Satan. Consequently, his time is limited, as revealed in Revelation 12:12.

Satan’s downfall commenced when, as the angel Lucifer, he dared to challenge God and sought to divert heaven’s worship to himself (Isaiah 14:13-14). From the instant of his rebellion, Satan’s fate was sealed. God expelled him from heaven to earth “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.”, (Luke 10:18), where he seized authority when Adam mimicked his defiance and rebelled against God (Genesis 3:6-7, 17-19;Romans 5:12). Satan is now known as “the prince of the power of the air” (John 12:31;Ephesians 2:2), “the god of this world” “in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”, (2 Corinthians 4:4), “the accuser” of Christians “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, andThe kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night.” , (Revelation 12:10), and “the deceiver of the whole world” “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” , (Revelation 12:9). God prepared hell as a place of punishment for Satan “Then He will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.'” , (Matthew 25:41).

One common misconception is that Satan and God are equal foes, battling for prominence. This is completely false. God has no equal. He created all things, including the angel Lucifer, who became the being we call “Satan.” As a created being, Satan only has the power and authority God gives him. We see this truth in the book of Job, where Satan has to ask permission to torment one of God’s servants (Job 1:6—2:8). Jesus also alluded to Satan’s short leash when He told Peter that Satan had asked to test Peter (Luke 22:31-32). Satan’s minions, the demons, must also ask the Lord’s permission before they act (Mark 5:9-13). For reasons known only to God, Satan is allowed to wreak havoc on the earth until the time God will forever banish him.

First Corinthians 15:24–26 says, “Then the end will come, when [Jesus] hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyedAll dominion, authority, and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For He ‘has put everything under His feet.’” Satan’s time of freedom is nearing the end. When Jesus returns, He will be victorious in a battle we call “Armageddon” «For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. », (Revelation 16:6). It won’t be much of a fight because Jesus annihilates Satan’s forces with the word of His mouth (2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 19:21).

After his defeat at Armageddon, Satan will be bound for a thousand years “to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time” «and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. », (Revelation 20:3). At the end of that time, Satan is released; true to form, he leads one more rebellion against Christ and His kingdom (verses 7–9). Again, Satan’s forces are defeated, and Satan himself is “thrown into the lake of burning sulfur” to “be tormented day and night forever and ever” (verse 10).

There is then one final judgment of all those who have rejected Christ (Revelation 20:11-15). The last act before eternal paradise begins for the children of God is the eternal banishment of sin and of Satan.

In one sense, Satan is already defeated. Jesus won the victory over him through the cross and the resurrection «anHaving spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15). It is now possible to defeat Satan daily in our lives. The Holy Spirit empowers God’s children to reject Satan’s agenda and walk in the Spirit, living a life pleasing to God (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16,25). The ultimate defeat of Satan is yet to come when he will be condemned to the lake of fire forever, unable to spread his evil again. Although Satan still reigns as the god of this world “in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” (2 Corinthians 4:4), Christians can live knowing that he is a defeated foe.