Why I Believe in Satan

The belief in the existence of Satan has come under quite a bit of scrutiny in the last several decades. Barna Research has found that nearly 60% of the people who identify themselves as Christians believe that Satan is not real but merely symbolic of evil in this world. Nearly another 10% are not sure who Satan is... these would be Beelzebub Agnostics :)
(See http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/12-faithspirituality/260-most-american-christians-do-not-believe-that-satan-or-the-holy-spirit-exis)

Ephesians 6:12 states that we are in a spiritual battle. You have lost the battle already if you do not even believe that the enemy camp exist in reality. Denial is not victory for your side it is defeat.

I believe in a literal Devil and the spirit world of his minions:
1) Jesus believed in the existence of a literal Satan.
2) The parables that Jesus told were stories that do not need to be literally true. The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness is not a parable but told as a literal historic event.
3) Satan is dealt with in scripture with such specificity that we must take note of the intention of the text with his existence. Why waste our time on a fictional symbolic character when we have such detail and he has such a key role in the story of God?

Ok that is my top 3. I am not to saying that there is a demon under every rock but I am encouraging Christians to wake up to the spiritual realities of the world around them. The world you live in is about more than Starbucks, big box stores and your weekly dose of American Idol, The Office and 24! Reread Ephesians 6:12... just for the fun of it!

For the sake of space I will leave you with the main text that deal with "the old pitch fork and horned man". Enjoy your study of the Great Dragon!
Be diligent in your study. Be prayerful in your study.
The more you know the stronger your faith will be in the Word of God.

Biblical descriptions of Satan:

1. Lying spirit (1 Kings 22:22)

2. The adversary (1 Peter 5:8)

3. Evil spirit (1 Samuel 16:14)

4. Belial (2 Corinthians 6:15)

5. Kingdom of, to be destroyed (2 Samuel 23:6,7)

6. The power of darkness (Colossians 1:13)

7. The father of all lies ( John 8:44)

8. The liar ( John 8:44)

9. The murderer ( John 8:44)

10. Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15)

11. With the context of (Matthew 12:29;13:30; Luke 11:21,22; 1 John 3:8)

12. Our common enemy (Matthew 13:39)

13. The prince » Of this world ( John 12:31;14:30;16:11)

14. The prince » Of demons (Matthew 12:24)

15. The prince » Of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2)

16. The prince » Ruler of the darkness of this world (Ephesians 6:12)

17. The prince » Satan (1 Chronicles 21:1; Job 1:6; John 13:27; Acts 5:3;26:18; Romans 1)

18. The prince » The serpent (Genesis 3:4,14; 2 Corinthians 11:3)

19. The prince » The spirit that works in all disobedient people (Ephesians 2:2)

20. The prince » The Tempter (Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5)

21. The prince » The god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4)

22. The prince » Unclean spirit (Matthew 12:43)

23. The prince » The wicked one (Matthew 13:19,38)

24. The ancient serpent (Rev. 12:9 and 20:2) the Dragon (Rev.20:2) and The Accuser of the brothers (Rev. 12:10)

History: Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:14-17