The name "Satan" literally means adversary or enemy. This understanding fits Satan perfectly because he is the enemy of God, the opponent of God's divine will, and the adversary of God's people (Rev. 12:9; Luke 8:12; 1 Pet. 5:8).

Satan is not a personification of evil influences in the world. He is a spiritual being, possessing his own authority (Matt. 4:9) and his own will (2 Tim. 2:26). God spoke to him as an individual when he accused Job (Job 1:6-12, 2:1-7) and Jesus treated him as an individual when He was being tempted in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11).

There are other names or phrases used in Scripture to describe Satan. Understanding these names and phrases will give us additional insight into the character of our great adversary.

He is called the "devil" (1 Pet. 5:8) which means accuser or slanderer. Satan accused Job before God, calling his faithfulness into question.

Jesus called Satan the "ruler of this world" (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11). His is the kingdom of darkness (Col. 1:13; Acts 26:18). Satan has great authority in this world, and exercises a great amount of influence over the inhabitants of this world, but his authority has always been less than that possessed by Christ (1 John 4:4).

Paul called Satan the "god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4) because he receives the affection and obedience of the hearts of the wicked people of this world.

Jesus said Satan is a murderer and the father of lies. "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it" (John 8:44). Satan murdered the entire human race when he lied to Eve, tempting her to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 3).

Satan has "devices" or "schemes" of which we are aware (2 Cor. 2:11). This means we know how Satan works. Satan deals with lies and deception. He tempts us to sin by enticing us through the lust of our flesh, the lust of our eyes, or our pride (2 John 2:16). He can appeal to us as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14) as he seeks to entrap us in his snares (1 Tim. 3:7; 2 Tim. 2:26).

The origin of Satan is a great question for which the Bible does not have a clear and specific answer. We know Satan's authority is limited, which tells us he is not equal with God. If he is not God, then we know he was created by God. However, God did not create anything evil. Everything God made was good (Gen. 1:31).

We also know angels possess freewill. The Bible speaks of angels who have sinned. "For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains and darkness, to be reserved for judgment" (2 Pet. 2:4; see also Jude 6). Perhaps the best explanation for Satan's existence is that he is a fallen angel.

First Timothy 3:6 says an elder cannot be a new convert, "lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil." Perhaps through his pride, Satan rebelled against God. If Revelation 12:7-9 has reference to this rebellion, the indication is that Satan was "cast out" of heaven and "his angels were cast out with him." Satan could not be the leader of Heaven, but he is recognized as the leader of all angels who have sinned and rebelled against God's authority and righteousness.

Satan's origin may remain a mystery to us (Deut. 29:29), but we know what he wants to do with us and where he will spend eternity. Although Satan has been defeated by God, he is not to be underestimated by Christians. Peter warns us to "be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8). Paul urged the Ephesians to "put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Eph. 6:11). We are to resist the devil and he will flee from us (James 4:7). Those who refuse to stand strong against Satan will spend eternity with him in Hell (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10-15).