Satan is an angel who rebelled against God and was kicked out of heaven. One-third of the angels rebelled with him and were also expelled.
Satan leads these fallen angels, also called demons, in his quest against God and his people. They oppose followers of Jesus and attempt to thwart God’s plans.
As an angel, Satan is a created being and therefore not equal in power or stature to God. Despite this, some wrongly view God and Satan as having comparable power.
Satan is called by many names in the Bible, including the dragon, serpent, devil, evil one, accuser, adversary, and enemy.
Some people deny the existence of Satan, while others cower in fear. A more balanced attitude is to accept his existence, realize he has power, but focus on God who is more powerful and will prevail.
Key verse about Satan: Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason” (Job 2:3, NIV).
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.