God will triumph over and eternally banish Satan and all his followers

In the last game of the recent NBA finals I saw something I’d never seen before in a basketball game. Golden State had a double-digit lead with just a couple of minutes left. Cleveland didn’t give up and managed to narrow the lead. It looked like Cleveland had a chance to pull it out. Both teams played with energy and intensity trading baskets as the clock wound down. Then when there were about 10 seconds left everything changed. Golden State started celebrating and Cleveland stopped trying. I didn’t understand at first but the players did. Both teams knew the game was over. Cleveland no longer had enough time to catch up. There was still time on the clock but Cleveland was defeated. As I think about Satan and his followers there is an interesting comparison and contrast. The comparison is although there is still time on the clock of human history, Satan's defeat is certain. He is defeated and nothing he or his followers can do will enable them to win. The contrast is that even though Satan and his followers know this, they keep attacking. They will keep attacking until their final banishment into the lake of fire. The Bible gives us a unique perspective on spiritual warfare. Here’s a summary of what we know:

• It began when the spirit being we call Satan rebelled against God. Isaiah 14:13-14; Ezekiel 28:16
• It became an all-out war after Satan attacked Eve and deceived her into disobeying God. Genesis 3:15
• Satan regularly attacks God’s followers trying to get us to sin. 1 Peter 5:7
• Satan attacks and blinds non-Christians to keep them from believing in Jesus. 2 Corinthians 4:4
• Satan is so bold He attacked Jesus to try to get Him to sin. Matthew 4:1-11
• God warns us about satanic attacks 1 Peter 5:7 and has given us a supernatural defense to be able to defeat Satan. Ephesians 6:10-18
• By dying on the cross Jesus broke Satan's power over death. Hebrews 2:14
• Spiritual warfare ends with Satan's defeat and eternal banishment into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:10

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The Implications of Satan's Defeat

The natural tendency of anyone involved in a struggle is to stop fighting when the outcome is certain. If there is no chance of winning, why continue? Yet Satan and his followers haven’t given up. Is it possible they don’t know they’re defeated? No, they know it.  Luke 4:34 [Tweet "We are fighting an enemy whose goal isn’t victory but destruction. John 8:44"] It’s a marvelous truth that all of us who have trusted in Jesus death as the personal payment for our sins can’t be touched by Satan. 1 John 5:18. Satan's defeat is certain yet his opposition to God won’t end until he’s cast into the lake of fire. He is so warped that he’s trying to take as many people with him. As God’s children we have nothing at all to fear of Satan. That isn’t true of those who haven’t trusted in Jesus. Let us faithfully pray for God to open their eyes to receive the truth of eternal life and salvation by faith in Jesus.