Of  Satan, the Prince of Evil Spirits.

"Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, 

seeking whom he may devour." 1 Pet. 5,8.

    The evil spirits are organized under the direction of Satan, 

the prince of the devils. He is very cunning. Remember how 

he brought about the fall of our first parents. He will not cease 

tempting us till he has found out where we are weakest. Therefore 

the Bible warns: “Be sober, be vigilant!” There is not an hour of 

the day in which we are not tempted by this formidable foe. He 

comes as an angel of light, quoting Scripture, but perverting it. 

    Or he approaches like an adder, insidiously, fascinating men’s minds by his bewitching manner, until all unawares the sin and wickedness to which he has tempted us is done. Again, he lies in wait like a wild beast and, when man is most secure, springs upon him 

and entraps him into sin. He suggests to Christians misbelief, 

error, and impure thoughts; he beguiles their senses with allure-

ments of pleasure and the glory and riches of this world; he plies 

them with afflictions, pushing and browbeating them into sin. And 

when he has won them, he rules over them in his satanic kingdom.

    The whole world is Satan’s kingdom, for which reason he is 

called the prince of this world, the god of this world; for it is he 

who corrupted it. He seduced man to sin and thereby introduced 

sin into the world and, together with it, woe, misery, and death. 

    All men are born sinners and therefore by nature subjects of Satan 

in his kingdom. Had not God had compassion on the fallen human 

race, not a soul would be saved, but all men would have to remain 

in Satan’s kingdom and share with him his doom of eternal dam-

nation. But God did have mercy on us. There is a victory over 

Satan.

    Christ has broken the power of the devil, and He gives us the 

power to resist the devil. He has given us a weapon with which 

we can stand firm and slay the great enemy of our soul: His Word. 

And if we stand fast in the faith, the devil cannot harm us.

Prayer.

Almighty God and Father, grant me grace to guard myself 

against the temptations of Satan, against sin and shame, and to be 

found in accord with Thy divine will, in order that I may walk so 

that, guarded against all ill, I may always cherish Thee in my

heart and thoughts. And when the hour of my death draws nigh 

and I am to depart this life, grant, I beseech Thee, that I may fall 

asleep in the true knowledge of Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ, and 

awake unto life eternal. Amen.