Satan & omnipresence

[Jedi Knight]

Satan runs to-and-fro through out the Earth seeking someone to devour. Can the Devil be omnipresent attacking or tempting a believer in America,China, and in Brazil at the same time? Is He just super-fast in his ability to roam the earth? Think how many people on earth at the same time resisting"or falling" to him. What do you think?

 

[zrs6v4]

My initial belief by tradition was that Satan is everywhere at once, for the exact same reason you described. I never really thought about it, but I have now come to the understanding that Satan is not omnipresent and that he moves through legions of fallen angels. Id guess that this means that he does not personally work on us, although it is possible (Jesus). I would like to hear some different takes on this.

-Zach

 

[Baptist Believer]

Satan is definitely real, but I doubt I've ever met him. I doubt I'm important enough for him to waste his time with me.

However, I have met some of his associates in explicit confrontations between 1988 and 1991.

The evil one is not the only malevolent spirit out there that attacks God and those God loves.

The evil one would like nothing better than for Christians to believe he is omnipresent and somehow equal to God.

He is not.

The evil one and all of his minions are no match against the believer who knows his authority in Christ and in sensitive to the Spirit's direction.

We do not need to fear them or give them any honor because they are are defeated and nearing their final destruction.

 

[DHK]

Satan is not omnipresent. That characteristic belongs only to God. Satan seems to be everywhere because of the great legion of demons which he commands, and do his bidding. It seems that Satan is everywhere and therefore he is "ubiquitous." But he is only one person, and can be only in one place at one time. At the cross he entered into Judas Iscariot when Judas betrayed Christ. That is where he chose to be at that time. He could not be everywhere. But the legions of demons that he has make it seem that he is everywhere.

 

[Scarlett O.]

I agree with everyone and for the reasons that they state.

The devil is not omni-"anything".

 

[menageriekeeper]

Lets also remember that Satan works well through human nature. As we are naturally bent away from the things of God through our fallen natures, we are then bent toward evil. Satan knows this and uses it to his own benefit.

 

[Grasshopper]

Lets also remember that Satan works well through human nature. As we are naturally bent away from the things of God through our fallen natures, we are then bent toward evil. Satan knows this and uses it to his own benefit.

Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.


Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

 

[SaggyWoman]

Satan seems to be everywhere because of the great legion of demons which he commands, and do his bidding.

This is where I stand.

 

[Jedi Knight]

Nice feed back! I look at some scriptures like Peter says " resist the devil and he will flee" or "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit .." It seems not much blame on demons....rather Satan himself when believers are in combat. Jesus said,"behold Satan desires to sift you..". Honestly,haven't you told or heard your fellow believers say"that's just the devil" or "Satan's attacking you"?

 

[Jedi Knight]

Theory one, recognizing that all angels have powers beyond ours to move around and see into people, posits that Satan has the power of "multipresence"—not "omnipresence," but not as spacially limited as humans.

Theory two, surely the more natural, is that the New Testament writers do what we do when speaking of wars—that is, ascribe all the hostile action to the opposing leader. "Hitler (or Napoleon or Saddam) attacked," we say, when in fact subordinates acted at their leader's command. Most Christians, like C. S. Lewis in The Screwtape Letters, hold some form of this view, and have always done so. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/september4/36.115.html

 

[Allan]

Nice feed back! I look at some scriptures like Peter says " resist the devil and he will flee" or "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit .." It seems not much blame on demons....rather Satan himself when believers are in combat. Jesus said,"behold Satan desires to sift you..". Honestly,haven't you told or heard your fellow believers say"that's just the devil" or "Satan's attacking you"?

Let us remember to that the words 'devil' and 'satan' do not always speak to one specific individual like a name but many times is just a word used to convey their intended meaning.

Ie. devil means slanderer, or false accusor; it could be used metaphorically in which is at this point - applied to a man who, by opposing the cause of God, may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him. We see this type of usage when men are said to be 'children of the devil' or 'sons of the devil'.


....satan means - advasary or one who opposes another in purpose or act of anther. It can refer to a particular person (ie. the princes of devils) or it can refer to one who stands against what God is intending or doing. (ie. Peter; Jesus stated to him - get thee behind me satan). Another type of the second can be seen in the example with Ananias - of whom an advasary (satan) has filled his heart to lie. The term satan is a reference to someone/thing who stands over and against the things of God and not necessarily the person himself (Satan). This falls into your second catagory (theory #2) you give in post #10

Therefore I agree with what has already been said about Satan not being everywhere (though he can go anywhere in the world he wants) it is his demons that allow for his knowledge and controlling of his worldly system. And as powerful are they are they are still not God and therefore not all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful, and everywhere at once.

 

[Jon-Marc]

Only God is omnipresent. Satan can only be in one place at a time, but he has a multitude of fallen angels to help him.

 

[Jedi Knight]

Well I don't feel confused at all about how I stand on it. I like to take some topics and kick it around if you will so others might become stronger through fellowship and teaching on here. Satan is not God is a given to me but remember he is the god of this world and has some abilities that will one day come to and end. Satan has from the beginning wanted to be like "The Most High",and deceived Eve by telling her "you will be like God".

 

[Thinkingstuff]

Well I don't feel confused at all about how I stand on it. I like to take some topics and kick it around if you will so others might become stronger through fellowship and teaching on here. Satan is not God is a given to me but remember he is the god of this world and has some abilities that will one day come to and end. Satan has from the beginning wanted to be like "The Most High",and deceived Eve by telling her "you will be like God".

Did satan really say.............? Or did Adam and Eve do a Phlip Wilson? Fear leads to Jelousy and that way leads to the dark side of the force it does hmmmm. - The Yoda Commentary.

More seriously. In Revelation when all is said and done it mentions that an angel (any nominal angel. Nothing specific said nor is there an issue with it doing its job) binds up the devil. The devil is limited. His greatest power is that of deception. Remember man is lead away by his own desires. So it seems to me the Devil or Satan is given too much credit by some. He can do nothing save God alows it.

 

[Me4Him]

Satan is not omnipresent. That characteristic belongs only to God. Satan seems to be everywhere because of the great legion of demons which he commands, and do his bidding. It seems that Satan is everywhere and therefore he is "ubiquitous." But he is only one person, and can be only in one place at one time. At the cross he entered into Judas Iscariot when Judas betrayed Christ. That is where he chose to be at that time. He could not be everywhere. But the legions of demons that he has make it seem that he is everywhere.

If you'll notice, satan was present with the one "closest to Jesus",

And if you'll notice, everytime a person/church starts getting closer to Jesus,

Satan always finds a person to work through to hinder the person or Church,

And in that respect, Satan is very "Faithful" to show up every time to cause problems.

 

[MB]

Satan runs to-and-fro through out the Earth seeking someone to devour. Can the Devil be omnipresent attacking or tempting a believer in America,China, and in Brazil at the same time? Is He just super-fast in his ability to roam the earth? Think how many people on earth at the same time resisting"or falling" to him. What do you think?

I believe what many don't realize is that most temptations is brought on by our own lustful desires. The sin that dwels in our flesh. Paul wrote about it in Romans 6,7,and 8. We tend to covet it there fore we are tempted whether its money, sex,or the hatered of another. Satan does not have telepathy. He doesn't send us thoughts of evil doings. He places the objects of our desires before us. He is not omnipresent nor is he all knowing.
MB

 

[Jedi Knight]

He doesn't send us thoughts of evil doings.
MB

John 13:2 the devil had already put the idea of betraying Jesus into the mind of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.

 

[zrs6v4]

God is infinite and there is no other, nor is there a match for God..

but..

I think this is a tricky subject because I am yet to see Scripture referance. We absolutely dont know the power given to lead Angels other than it is far greater than us. I would doubt they are omnipresent although we have no idea how they move or work on people. What if they could work on 1,000 people within a 5 second period by moving faster than the speed of light (given by God)? My point is that although we are living in fear of the Lord, we ought not to philosophically undermine the power of the enemy. I just dont see where Scripture gives us light to the power of Satan other than it is undefeatable on our own. It is one of those things which we probably dont need to know, , one less thing to worry about. Kind of like knowing our destiny.

Can they read minds? Can they place things in our minds? what does Scripture tell us about them, and if nothing, then we should probably not focus on it Im guessing.
I say this because in the OT God was angry when Israel focused on the power of the opposing tribes they were to defeat, rather than Him. The odds were clearly against Israel most of the time, and many times it proved the faithlessness of many. How much worse would it be if we comprehended the Spiritual realm and saw it?

do they walk? Do they fly? How much can they see and how far? Can they hear and how much? do they have size or shape? Can they materialize? do they do anything besides preach against and fight God's kingdom? There are many questions

 

[LeBuick]

I think Satan gets a lot of credit for the deeds of evil man. There are many places where the devil isn't needed, there is enough evil without him being there.

 

[MB]

John 13:2 the devil had already put the idea of betraying Jesus into the mind of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.

Judas IMHO being the son of perdition as Jesus called him was Satan's all along. Judas betrayed Christ for thirty pieces of silver. There was no thought from Satan but the lust for money in Judas's heart. Satan's part was the temptation which stirred the lust for money. There was no telepathy.
MB