Playing Chess with the Devil

(Written by Todd Strandberg)
I have always been terrible at the game of chess. It's not that I don't understand how the game is played--I perfectly understand the rules and moves. The problem is my inability think ahead. If I make a move on the board that seems to be prudent, three moves later, it usually turns out to have been a fatal mistake.

When I play against a computer, I normally get beaten like a rented mule. The only way I've been able to win at the game is by cheating. I have one program that allows me to turn one of my pawns into an extra queen. Sadly, even with this unfair advantage, the devilish program still finds a way to overcome the shortfall and checkmate me.

Chess is often depicted as a sport for wimps, but this label is incorrect. A son once asked his dad why chess is not an Olympic game. His father’s response was brief and to the point: "Chess is not a noble sport. When you play chess, your object is to crush the opponent's mind. In today's world, a man's mind is his most precious commodity. Proving to your opponent that his most precious commodity is useless can be devastating for him."

Satan's Doom

(Written by Todd Strandberg)
How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain? I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit" (Isa. 14:12-15).

The Bible provides a wealth of helpful advice to apply to our spiritual lives. Much of this instruction comes from the trials and failures of others. Paul made reference to the teaching power of the biblical examples, saying, "Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:11-12). The one thing that makes the Bible unique from all other religious texts is that God chose not to whitewash accounts of people who turned their back on Him.

Lucifer’s downfall is the greatest example of failure. Judas is another relevant example. Judas is infamous for betraying Jesus for money. We are told that he was a devil from the beginning (John 6:70), so he never was a true follower of Christ. Lucifer was created perfect, and he served God directly in His holy temple. Despite that perfect environment, he chose rebellion.

The Bible gives no time frame for when Lucifer fell and became Satan. I've never understood why so many Christian leaders seem to assume that the creation and downfall of Lucifer was within a few years of man's creation. God exists forever. To say that at some point He had a falling-out with His lead angel leaves open the possibility that this event could have occurred a very long time ago.

The judgment against Satan is at least 6,000 years ago. With the last days drawing near, Satan must realize that the vast majority of his time of being free to do his devilish work has now run out. The fact that he may only have a few more years left must constantly gnaw at his mind.

Downfall I - Satan Gets Fired

Pride caused Satan's downfall. God created him with such splendor that Lucifer looked in the mirror one day and said, "I should be running things around here." He conspired with a third of the angelic host to launch a coup against the Lord of hosts.

The Bible gives a wonderful illustration of the hopeless nature of Satan's insurrection. When he made his move, God cast him out of heaven so fast, his ejection resembled a bolt of lightning streaking across the sky. Jesus said,

Even though God cast Satan out of heaven, He did not forever ban him from re-entering the heavenly realm. The account of Job tells us that the devil is still able to enter the gates of paradise.

“One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said to Satan, 'Where have you come from?’ Satan answered the LORD, ‘From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it’" (Job 1:6-7).

What really happened is that Satan got fired. He lost his rank, beauty, power, and--most importantly--his relationship with God. The bitterness from his dismissal is likely what has transformed him into a being of pure evil.

Satan’s removal from office also came with a promise of future punishment. God, at some point, created hell and a lake of fire. The latter had the Devil’s name written on it.

The Rising Desperation of the Satan Administration

(Written by Ben G)
First, allow me to say, I bring not an accusation against the devil, for Jude 1:9 states; "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee."

Now, if Michael the Archangel himself isn't foolish enough to insult Satan to his face, why should any human be foolish enough to do so? Granted, some of us may have out of the heat of anger, but hopefully prayed afterward for forgiveness and protection because of their human error.

These are the last days of this age. There is no doubt about it. The bible says; "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all (Luke 17:26-27)."

It is strange to think that back in those days the world was looking a lot like ours today, except even worse. There were hybrid giants (Nephilim) who were satanic offspring of fallen angels and humans (Genesis 6: 1-4). Goliath of Gath comes to mind, for example, who was slain by David. Most likely, these giants sprung about many old Greek legends, such as Prometheus, Titan, or Zeus, etc. They were "men of renown". They were evil and wicked and spread their satanic bloodlines across the earth, raping and killing, until every thought they had in their head was evil. Obviously Satan went along with this plan to disrupt God's own plan for man and His plan for a coming Savior. The only righteous people were Noah and his family. These monsters that roamed the earth were pure evil. I can only imagine them as embodiments of demons walking the earth. Imagine everyone's a Charlie Manson, Ed Gein, or a Josef Fritzl, but worse. Obviously God would not stand for such a thing for very long, so he sent a flood to kill virtually everything so He could to start over, but with new demonic restrictions and rules set in place upon renewal.

What happened to these angelic watchers who were supposed to be looking out for us? They spotted the beautiful women, then came down and sinned by procreating with them and then were eventually laid hold of and bound in chains by God until judgment for their direct intervention and disruption in human affairs, which caused a massive pollution of human bloodlines across the whole earth. Why were Noah and his family spared? Because he was "blameless and walked with God." I am sure God binding the fallen watchers and killing everyone would have infuriated Satan to no end, for he no doubt loved how the world had become so godless, but it served as a lesson to him about certain boundaries God will not tolerate.

Today, the devil's angels know exactly what happened to their brothers in Jude 1:6, which is why they must obey God's command to not directly interfere in such a way as they did back in Genesis, because if any of them do, they know it would be the end of them, as in their incarceration would come swiftly and be thrown in a deep, dark prison like the others. Demons can and do, however, interfere in their many own spiritual ways, with each and every one of us, which can and does influence people and of course tempts them to make very poor choices at times. This direction away from God we've gone in as human beings have built up over time which has led us to the godless, corrupted state we find ourselves in today- which is similar to Noah's day. Just turn on the evening news... And it has only been able to get worse because of the human embrace of wickedness and acceptance of evil in their lives and our society. This gives evil spirits ever-growing rights of influence and power to come through and affect earthly affairs without directly breaking certain rules God laid out. Yes, fallen angels have rebelled against God, and still defy Him every day, but they still must obey his command if He gives an order. They are fallen because of free-will, not because they don’t do what God commands them. All living creations must obey Him if He gives a direct order or there lies serious consequences. Yes, demons will be going to hell, and they’re very aware of this, but they still must obey the Holy Spirit. The act of exorcism come to mind- the demon must leave that person’s body if commanded by the Holy Spirit.