What is it that you think Satan’s job is, what do you envision he spends his days and nights doing. I could be wrong, but I doubt very much that angelic beings or demons sleep, they do not tire as we do, perhaps there are moments of rest, but not like the six or eight hours or so nearly every day that human beings take.
Exactly just what does the “prince of the power of the air” mean, (Eph. 2:2) is it the ability to control nature, he is the god of this world, (2 Cor. 4:4) a term that speaks of power over the entire earth, which would include everything and everyone on it.
I believe there was a day that Satan was called before God, which we have proof of incidences of in the Scriptures in the Book of Job, when he was given the rules, as it were, the totality of the powers over all the earth and the limits thereof, and these decrees from the Almighty are set in stone, so to speak, as much as His decree was to the mighty sea, “This far, no further,” and there is no possibility that Satan can go any further in any effort past these decrees, though I am also sure that he tests these boundaries quite often. So then, what he chooses to do is not always what he would like to do, but he does all that he is allowed to do, he, as we do, are limited to a degree, but can use that free will freely within the boundaries set by God as he so desires.
Our nature is what causes us to make the decisions we make, we are accountable for our actions, but we are to freely choose, as born-again believers to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, (Romans 12:2) not so with Satan and those who fell with him, they will never return to their first estate, (Jude 1:6) and so they have determined to “let loose,” to perform all the evil that is within their current power to do unto men, until “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” (2 Thess. 2:7) Then, when the boundaries are removed, when the hedge is completely gone, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matt. 24:21)
But for now, what is he doing? We must be able to make a viable distinction between what are the normal, if we may call it that, actions of sinful man, and what are the actions of our adversary upon humankind, specifically those that influence the actions of men. Demon possession is much more prevalent in our day than at any other time in history, just not in the way most envision it, there are still of course manifestations similar to those in the Scriptures, casting individuals into the fire, (Jer. 19:5) living among the graves, (Isaiah 65:4) but these are rare, and like nearly all else that Satan does, are nothing more than diversions, the father of lies is very adept at what he does, and it is impossible without the grace of God to see through these lies.
There are those that are cooperative to these indwelling’s of evil spirits, though not all might recognize them as such, they realize the power that they possess in certain areas is not of themselves, hence pursuits in astrology, the seeking of familiar spirits. (Isaiah 19:3) sorcery in all its form are paths traversed by some individuals seeking those powers, and one must presume that those that are manifesting these attributes would be in some of the highest positions on the planet, whether it be in government agencies, part of the “one percenters,” or simply those with money and influence on this planet, for this type of power serves little purpose if it is only exhibited in the back alleys and slums of the world.
So then, Satan’s desire is as it always has been, to sway the path of mankind against the desires of the Lord, not to lead people to hell, for that is where they are going anyway if they do not accept Christ, he has no power over those who have been chosen before the foundation of the world, (Eph. 1:4) save to inhibit as much as possible, within the boundaries set by the Lord, their ability to serve Christ well in every area of their lives, the hedge remains around the born-again believer unless the Lord God lowers it.
Satan has always wanted one thing and one thing only, to be worshipped, and in every age of man that is his entire point of effort. He knows no more than we do when the Lord will return for His church, (Mark 13:32) and when the great and terrible day of the Lord will begin, and so he is always and without fail preparing for that moment, but he has the ability to see and function well in the spiritual realm as well as the world we live in, and so his advantage is exponentially greater than ours in this area.
He exerts his influence in exactly the same way that he did in the garden of Eden, first, question the authority and Sovereignty of the Lord God, second, create doubt as to the truth of His word, and thirdly, offer an option, through a lie, to an alternative path that is available to us. That is it, no great new revelation for you, no incredible insight into the workings of evil, just these three things, but that is all he has ever needed.
Only those who have been chosen before the foundation of the world will understand these words, all others will still attribute all evil as the depravity of man, and through negotiations, through diplomacy, science, medical care, pharmaceutical avenues, politics, and everything under the sun but the truths found only in the Word of God will they avail themselves to attempting to “fix the problem” of the “evil” of man. Many, most in fact are being led astray, are the blind being led by the blind, it has always been thus, Satan does not take breaks, he does not attempt to fool or deceive those who are not saved, they are already lost, but those individuals, specifically in high places, are the main tools that he uses constantly, and his final tool, his epitome of sin will be shown in the man of perdition, the antichrist.
Remember these three items mentioned, for those are the darts spoken of in Ephesians 6:16, without the proper use of your shield, they will imbed themselves in your heart, and there is no finer wine to our adversary than a follower of Christ falling, especially when many know of it.
The child died because David gave the heathen an opportunity to blaspheme the name of God. (2 Sam. 12:14) The roaring lion is preparing to attack, he will show no mercy, he never has, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” (Luke 21:36)
