Peter’s words to the believing remnant of Israel during the Tribulation Period describes Satan as a “roaring lion” who is able to “devour” them. They could still be deceived by the lies of the Antichrist and False Prophet and his retaliation of the believers who will trust in Jesus Christ and “endure to the end.”

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour [take in]:” - 1 Peter 5:8 (KJV)

Many of these believers will become martyrs for their faith in the word of God for Israel. Jesus told His little flock of Israel;

“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth [faithful] to the end shall be saved.” - Matthew 10:22 (KJV)

But, how does Satan operate during today’s “the dispensation of the grace of God”?

We know that Satan’s power broken by the Cross, yet we as believers still have to contend with the deception and lies of and evil one.

“Ye [the religious leaders of Israel] are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he [Satan] speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” - John 8:44 (KJV)

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he [Jesus] also himself likewise took part of the same; [so] that through death he might destroy [Gk. kartargeo, render powerless] him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;” Hebrews 2:14 (KJV)

Yet, Satan’s lies can consume believers by deceiving and misguiding them spiritually, and threatening us with supposed reason to fear when we are ignorant of his devices and of our eternal security in Christ (Eph. 1:13). He and his lies are powerless when we know the truth.

Thus, we must learn the Pauline truth of our security in Christ by studying to know and then trust in the truth of our liberation from the power of Satan. We can freely access this kind of information in Paul’s thirteen epistles written to the Gentile “body of Christ.” Ours is a spiritual battle that has been won by Christ and we have the “spirit of life in Christ Jesus” in us as our eternal life and assurance.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood[A1] , but Against Principalities, Against Powers, Against The Rulers of The Darkness of This World, Against SPIRITUAL Wickedness In High [the heavenly] Places.” – Eph. 6:12

Paul wrote of the broad scope of God’s All-encompassing Plan and Purpose of “the mystery of Christ,” saying; “All Things created, that are IN HEAVEN, and THAT ARE IN EARTH, VISIBLE and INVISIBLE” – would be dealt with by Jesus… not only rebellious, sinful, mankind, but also the Devil and his evil fallen angelic spirits in “the heavenly places.’

The “mystery [secret]” plan of God has, by the cross, disarmed the power of the Devil for those who believe and have come to love the Lord.

“… For this PURPOSE the Son of God was manifested, that he might Destroy The Works [deeds] of The Devil.” - 1 John 3:8b

Knowing the truth of “the Mystery of [secret plan concerning] Christ” He has enabled us to “reign in life,” by through the knowledge of His eternal Plan and the resurrected Christ in us as our life.

“For if by one man's [Adam’s] offence death reigned by one; much more they which Receive Abundance of Grace and Of the Gift of Righteousness Shall Reign In Life By One, Jesus Christ.) - Romans 5:17 (KJV)

For believers, the Devil and his sin-spirit has been judged and “condemned” or limited to “the flesh,” that is until his eternal destiny is carried out. Thus. we are to live and walk not according to the flesh, but by “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”

“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:” - Romans 8:3 (KJV)

“For they that are after the flesh [fleshly] do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit [the spiritual believers minds] the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to be carnally [fleshly] minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6 (KJV)

The actual execution of the Devil’s fate is still to come … hopefully in the not too distant future.

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” - Revelation 20:10 (KJV

For believers today who know, believe, and trust in the power of Christ’s “spirit of life” in us … we have already been made freed from the power of “sin and death.”

“For the law [the operative power] of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath [already] made me free from the law [the operative power] of sin and death. Romans 8:2 (KJV)

Paul tells us what we need to know… that Jesus Christ, by His Cross, has now conquered Satan and the evil spiritual forces of Satan. Jesus is seated far above ALL the Satan-controlled “powers” in heaven and on earth, thus Paul wrote;

“And having spoiled [Grk., apekdyomai, put off, overcome Satan’s] principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly [He made a public example of their evil as seen at the cross while], triumphing over them in it.” - Colossians 2:15 (KJV)

Knowing the foregoing, Paul prays for the Ephesian believers to gain “revelation” and “understanding,” that they might “know” the riches of Christ that is “in the saints” and … the working of the Mighty Power of Christ who is set “Far Above” the Satanic angelic host in the lower heaven.

“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ And what is the exceeding greatness of His POWER to us-ward who BELIEVE, according to the working of His Mighty Power,

²⁰ Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ Far ABOVE ALL Principality, And Power, And Might, And Dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world [age], but also in that [age] which is to come:” - Ephesians 1:18-21

“In the fullness of times” – meaning at the end of all ages… “all things” will ultimately be fully reconciled by and unto Jesus Christ according to His Purpose in Christ by His Cross.

“Wherein he [God] hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; ⁹ Having made known unto us the MYSTERY OF HIS WILL, according to his good pleasure which HE HATH PURPOSED IN HIMSELF: ¹⁰ [so]

Thankfully, God’s eternal purpose included us, individually, as His beloved blood-bought children.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath [already] blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

 “According as He Hath Chosen Us in Him [In Christ] Before the Foundation of The World, that we should be holy and without blame before him in [His] love:

⁵ Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

⁶ To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein He [Father God] Hath Made Us Accepted in The Beloved.” - Ephesians 1:3-6

Conclusion:

Having Paul’s epistles, we now know that we as His beloved blood-bought children, were saved, regenerated according to His eternal Plan and Purpose that was to Gain and Expanded Family, literally Born of “His Seed [sperma], Which Is Christ” (Gal 3:16, 1Peter 1:23).

His family consist of All the free-willing creatures of All ages who by His grace received His love and grace that would be revealed in the person of His Son.

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” - Romans 8:16 (KJV)

“For it became him [Jesus Christ], for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect [consummate, complete] through [His] sufferings.” - Hebrews 2:10 (KJV)

“Behold, what manner of Love the Father Hath Bestowed Upon Us, That We Should Be Called the Sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” - 1 John 3:1 (KJV)

It was God’s eternal plan to ultimately have children endowed with His life, living and reigning with Him both in heaven and on earth forever. Jesus Christ and His life now in us is our new and eternal life.

“That In The Dispensation Of The Fulness of Times he [the Father] might gather together in one ALL THINGS IN CHRIST, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even [that is] in him:” - Ephesians 1:8-10