oh look, and this thread is on page one!
i heard someone talking about this yesterday, and i accepted what he said, and believe it - and i wanted to go find this thread:
yes, Satan is bound right now.
but that binding is very specific: it does not mean he is powerless or that he does not directly influence anyone or control anyone who is given to him.
the scripture says that he will be set loose for a short time -- so yes, he is bound. but in what way? well, look at what he does the moment he is unbound: he deceives all the nations and brings them together to make war against the Lamb.
((in re: Revelation 20:7-10))
so this is how he is bound: not that he cannot influence people, not that he cannot tempt, not that he has no power, not that nothing is in his hand. he is bound from deceiving the nations fully and 'rallying all his forces' to make war against the Lamb. when he is set loose, he does exactly the thing he has been prevented from being able to do.
we don't need Satan to cause us to sin. our own hearts were wicked enough even without him.
what happens when he is released? does sin and wickedness suddenly spike all over the earth? blasphemy increases? nope -- he goes and deceives the nations, and they make war against the Lamb. he does the thing that he has been bound from doing. the thing his imprisonment prevents.
[HR][/HR]
i've resisted this idea in the past, because i was thinking about it the wrong way -- i thought, and justifiably, of course he is not "bound" -- he has power over people, and people are handed over to him. he is the god of the age, sending out the spirit of the age, prowling about like a roaring lion!
and all this is true. the Devil being bound does not mean he is completely powerless and immobile. he is on a short leash, and muzzled. "he is the Devil, but he is God's devil" -- a preacher has said. he is not "free" to do all he desires; he is bound.
when the time of the redemption of the elect who have been predestined by God to be found in Christ has been completed, the Lord will release him, and he will deceive all the nations, and make war. and fire from heaven will consume his armies, and he will be thrown into the pit.
amen!
i apologize for my previous foolishness; now i see this. thank you to anyone who tried to help me to see
((just hope i'm not still foolish here, and still don't really see LOL))
i heard someone talking about this yesterday, and i accepted what he said, and believe it - and i wanted to go find this thread:
yes, Satan is bound right now.
but that binding is very specific: it does not mean he is powerless or that he does not directly influence anyone or control anyone who is given to him.
the scripture says that he will be set loose for a short time -- so yes, he is bound. but in what way? well, look at what he does the moment he is unbound: he deceives all the nations and brings them together to make war against the Lamb.
((in re: Revelation 20:7-10))
so this is how he is bound: not that he cannot influence people, not that he cannot tempt, not that he has no power, not that nothing is in his hand. he is bound from deceiving the nations fully and 'rallying all his forces' to make war against the Lamb. when he is set loose, he does exactly the thing he has been prevented from being able to do.
we don't need Satan to cause us to sin. our own hearts were wicked enough even without him.
what happens when he is released? does sin and wickedness suddenly spike all over the earth? blasphemy increases? nope -- he goes and deceives the nations, and they make war against the Lamb. he does the thing that he has been bound from doing. the thing his imprisonment prevents.
[HR][/HR]
i've resisted this idea in the past, because i was thinking about it the wrong way -- i thought, and justifiably, of course he is not "bound" -- he has power over people, and people are handed over to him. he is the god of the age, sending out the spirit of the age, prowling about like a roaring lion!
and all this is true. the Devil being bound does not mean he is completely powerless and immobile. he is on a short leash, and muzzled. "he is the Devil, but he is God's devil" -- a preacher has said. he is not "free" to do all he desires; he is bound.
when the time of the redemption of the elect who have been predestined by God to be found in Christ has been completed, the Lord will release him, and he will deceive all the nations, and make war. and fire from heaven will consume his armies, and he will be thrown into the pit.
amen!
i apologize for my previous foolishness; now i see this. thank you to anyone who tried to help me to see
((just hope i'm not still foolish here, and still don't really see LOL))
Bravo for arriving at the conclusion that Satan is presently bound, and for casting a 'yes' vote. Now you rank as one of the informed few.
A few points of clarification:
A. Scripture repeatedly does state that Satan was rendered completely immobile...completely impotent..at The Cross.
B. Scripture also states that his 'power' today is his demons, which, while he may be bound, they are still freely roaming this earth.
It is the demons who are responsible for the evil in the world today. That is why we see it everywhere, across the globe.
Indeed, Satan will only need to be released from captivity for a very short period of time and lead the demons, for they have already been doing his work since The Cross....all the work has been done for him.