He's Not Omniscient!

[Leslie Jebaraj]

   We believe Satan is not omniscient. In that case, how did he know when I became a child of God. As soon as one turns to Jesus, his/her temptations crank up, correct?

   Satan alone is not the only source of our temptations. But how does he manage to intensify our temptations, for the ones he's responsible for, when he's not omniscient?

 

   If one of his demons let him know that I had trusted the Lord, how did that demon come to know. Does everyone have a 'personal' demon?

  What are your thoughts?

 

[Marv]

Why would he have to be omniscient to know when you became a child of God?

Likely, he/they can tell when the HS is indwelling you. Call is spirits' discernment of spirits.

I don't know if temptations crank up or not, when a person becomes a child of God.

Why would he have to be omniscient to intensify one's temptations?

Does everyone have a personal demon? Don't know. Are there impersonal ones? I think of demons kind of like opportunistic agents. Do you have personal bacteria? Well, I guess you do, but basically they're just in the environment. They get in where we have weak spots in our immune system. I'd imagine temptation is a bit like that. Probably doesn't take that much to find and wiggle into weak spots. And it's not as if our susceptibility to temptations are very novel and clever. Probably the same old same old, such as is common to man stuff that they pulled on folk since Adam.

 

I'm thinking being a demon just ain't that hard a job...

[Raquel]

I look forward to other replies because I don't know.  But I do have thoughts.

I like what Lewis says on the topic; that demons are Bad angels, just as there are Bad people. Obviously angels have a leg up, serving God and all.  Whereas demons only have the enemy (who Lewis contrasts with Gabriel rather than God). 

I would say that they would know by your fruit production as anyone would.  No idea about a 'personal' demon.  Not sure the Bible has anything to say on that.  We do, however, know that (james 4) there is a payoff to resistance.  BUT.  The way to do that, to resist, is to draw near to God.  What shadow has power in His light?

[E. A. Johnston]

Perhaps temptations does not increase as soon as we are regenerate born again saved become Christians. (Sorry-residual from the ""Regenerate Infants?" thread). Maybe we are just suddenly aware of what sin really is and become sensitive to it.

[Holly]

When an individual passes from darkness to light, and is adopted into the family of God, not only is he/she at war with the impulses of sin/flesh, but there are beings external to that individual who have a hate-fueled desire to bring that child of God down, because they hate God, and they hate everything he has done to redeem and reconcile humankind to himself (the cradle, the cross, the resurrection). The individual's eyes are opened to the things that never before had to be resisted. (This is why preaching "the good life" to converts can have such disastrous consequences).

To the extent the individual must resist, the grace of God is sufficient.

And yes, it does help to remember that God has no equal and no opposite. Satan is a created, finite, fallen being (angel, archangel, some say one or the other). As such, as Lewis says, he is not the opposite of God, but of Michael.

[Daniel]

I agree with EA.  It isn't as if we are now being attacked by Satan, it is that we now have the Holy Spirit pointing us away from default predilections.

[Alex Guggenheim]

The Bible teaches that Satan strategizes, he has methods (Eph 6:11). Now one cannot say dogmatically what those schemes are in detail but what we can know is that one who strategizes no doubt is going to have some form of organizational operation with some kind of protocol. And clearly Satan has under his command those demons which followed him (except for an exceptional group who are currently incarcerated per 1 Peter) and so it does stand to reason that there is going to be some organized and particular efforts toward Christians collectively and individually.

Instead of asking whether or not it be true you have assigned to you a particular demon, know that you are always the object of Satanic efforts in some form or fashion, whether directly or indirectly and be aware of such devices and protect yourself with the Word of God as your gatekeeper and guardian.

[Jennifer]

ever read the Screwtape letters? not saying that is exactly how it is... but it is a thought.

[Leslie Jebaraj]

Good thoughts, all. Thanks.