C. S. Lewis wrote, "There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence, and the other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them."¹ Students of the Bible cannot ignore demons, for they are mentioned over eighty times in the New Testament. On the other hand, dwelling on demonic activity is unhealthy and unnecessary.

Let me tell you that you don't need to know every word about demons. You just need to know the Word about demons, and that's what we'll examine here.

The Origins of Evil

Since God called Creation "very good" and He is the source of all goodness, it is clear that He did not create demons. They slinked onto the scene sometime after the world was created. Something curious happened between the glorious goodness of Genesis chapter 1 and the appearance of a cunning serpent who would forever change the course of human history in Genesis chapter 3. God did not invent evil or inspire evil; it grew apart from Him.

Revelation gives us insight into the origins of evil through a metaphor: A woman is laboring to give birth to a child, and there is a seven–headed dragon. The woman symbolizes the nation of Israel. Her child is none other than Jesus Christ. It is the description of the Dragon that informs us of the origins of Satan and his demons.

Another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth…. And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:3–4, 7–9)

Before Adam and Eve fell into sin, there was a battle in heaven. It was started by an angel named Lucifer who rebelled against God, and one–third of all heaven's angels joined him. They waged war against the archangel Michael and all God's faithful angels. When it was over, Lucifer and his rebellious angels were thrown out of heaven.

The Fall of Lucifer

Lucifer was a magnificent being. The name Lucifer means "day star" or "son of the morning." Ezekiel 28:12–15 describes him before he was fallen:

You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.

You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.

God held nothing back when he created Lucifer. Adorned with every precious stone, Lucifer was "full of wisdom." In all his splendor, he became prideful—Lucifer was jealous of God. He thought he deserved to be equal to the Most High. Because of this, he was thrown out of heaven, along with his followers. After his defeat, Lucifer's name changed to Satan, which means "adversary."

Lucifer Became Satan

A careful reading of Scripture helps us understand Lucifer's downfall. He was created perfectly, but inner iniquity and violence led him to sin. Isaiah describes what happened in Lucifer's heart when he decided it was no longer good enough to be a perfect angel created in the beauty of God. Notice the five "I will" statements of Lucifer found in Isaiah 14:12–15:

How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart:
"I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High."
Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.

How could a perfect, holy being fall? How could the first unholy affection arise in his angelic being? Lucifer was created by God with one attribute exactly like you and I have—he had freedom to choose. Lucifer could have chosen humble obedience; instead, he chose prideful rebellion. Proverbs 16:18 warns us, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Indeed. Pride turned an angel into a devil—pride.

Not Every Angel Is From God

We must understand that not every angel is from God: Satan and his demons are fallen angels, and they are devoted to deceiving as many people, and taking as many people to hell, as they can. Second Corinthians 11:14 warns that Satan transforms himself into an "angel of light." This warning comes in the middle of a broader discussion about false teachers who masquerade as godly leaders. It takes discernment to see beneath the mask of an impostor. That is why we are instructed to "test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1).

None of these fallen angels retain their original, pre–rebellion goodness. Some have been imprisoned already (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6). Those that remain free function as Satan's accomplices, subverting mankind, manipulating world events, and stirring up chaos to bring about the ultimate destruction of humanity.
The Book of Signs, p. 316

Defeating the Dragon

Evil originates in the Dragon's heart. He does not have the power to create anything new, but he instigates evil by damaging what is good. During the Tribulation, Satan will mount an assault against humanity like nothing we've ever seen. It will be a terrible time. Until then, he will work day and night to undermine all that is good in the world in more insidious ways.

Thankfully, Satan has already been defeated. When Jesus Christ ascended from the grave, He conquered every demon, every scheme, and every deception that could assault God's people. So the first step is to appropriate that power in our lives, which is easier than you might imagine. Romans 10:9–10 assures us:

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

It's that simple—confess and believe. You can do it right now. If this is new to you, I'd like to send you a copy of Your Greatest Turning Point, which will guide you through the foundations of Christian faith. You may also learn more about what it means to become a Christian here.

Once salvation is secure in Christ, God's limitless power is available to sustain each of us!

Here is a simple action plan for God's children as they deal with demons:

• Read God's Word. The Bible provides detailed information about the enemy of our souls and how to defeat him.

• Refuse to give Satan an advantage by being aware of his tactics. Second Corinthians 2:11 teaches that Satan gains an advantage when God's people handle relationships with a goal of retribution instead of restoration.

• Recognize the difference between messages from faithful angels and fallen angels. First John 4:2–3 explains how we may recognize the Spirit of God: "Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God."

• Reject the temptation to be preoccupied with demons. Know what the Bible says about demons and walk in that truth. Immersing yourself in their world is just as dangerous as ignorance.

• Resist Satan. James 4:7 says this will cause him to "flee from you." First Peter 5:8–9 illuminates the same truth: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith."

• Run from every connection with the occult. A lot of people, including some of God's people, wander off course with this. Any occult activity lays the groundwork for idolatry and immorality. Some examples are:

  • Ouija boards

  • Seances

  • Dungeons and Dragons or any similar entertainment

  • Music with occult lyrics

  • Astrology

  • Psychic or other paranormal encounters

• Renew your mind daily through prayer and meditating on God's Word. Satan targets your mind, so you must be vigilant to avoid his mind games. If Satan was able to deceive Eve about God's truth—the same woman who had walked and talked directly with God in Eden—how much more vulnerable are we who have never had such an opportunity?

• Remember who Satan is. He is an angel who was once perfect but now lives in rebellion against his Creator. Satan is not the opposite of God; he is the opposite of Michael. While Satan may be a formidable foe, he is no match for God.

• Remember the score. Satan and his demons are on a long leash, but they're doomed! One of these days, they will be confined forever in the lake of fire. As God's children, we need not be terrorized by demons. Truly, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:1).

¹Lewis, C.S., The Screwtape Letters (New York: HarperCollins, 2001), IX.