“Not today, Satan!”
Can Satan be everywhere at once? Although we say the above phrase often jokingly, this can get very personal when it comes to Satan’s effect on our lives. In moments of spiritual warefare, it can feel like Satan has personally targeted us and the lives of those in our close circles.
But is Satan omnipresent like God? Can he be in two places at once? Or have we, as Christians, often gotten the nature of Satan wrong? We’ll explore this idea and more in this article.
What Does the Bible Say about Satan?
First and foremost, Satan is not his name but a title, meaning “adversary.” He stands opposed to everything God stands for. Instead of justice, peace, and mercy… Satan strives for division, lawlessness, and hate.
We first meet Satan in the Garden of Eden in the form of a serpent (Genesis 3), but his story starts much earlier than that.
It starts in the throne room of heaven. Satan doesn’t like that God gets all the glory and honor. His pride swells. Like we see when humanity falls in Genesis 3, he also believes he can do a better job than God (Luke 10:18). Satan wrangles about one-third of the angels to follow him in his rebellion (fallen angels). They are subsequently cast out of heaven.
From there, Satan seeks to wreak havoc on God’s creation. Us. Because of him, he tempts Eve and Adam, and sin forever enters the world.
But what else do we know about Satan? Let’s see what Scripture says.
Satan is evil: And might I add, irredeemable (1 Peter 5:8). There’s no sympathy for the devil. He seeks to bring down whatever of God’s creation he can before his time of judgment arrives.
Satan is powerful: We’ll address the limits to his power in a moment. But for the time being, remember that he’s been given limited power over this world (Matthew 4:8).
Satan has helpers: As we dive into other sections, we will see that Satan can’t do everything. He’s not God’s equal. So, he has helpers—we know them as demons or fallen angels. He’s appointed some over certain nations (Ephesians 6). We definitely should not underestimate him.
Satan has an ending: He knows it. He fears it. He will do anything to prevent it. But at the end of this earth, and after Jesus returns, Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20).
With Satan’s character and demise in mind, let’s explore what he can and can’t do.
Can Satan Be Everywhere at Once?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Christians have gotten their ideas about Satan mixed up.
Although Satan is powerful, he has his limits. A Bible teacher once told our class, “Satan and Jesus are not equals. You’d be better off pitting Satan against the Archangel Michael. That seems like a more worthy match.”
And although the Archangel Michael is indeed powerful, he cannot compare to the power and the presence of the Great ‘I Am.’” Satan can appear in one place at one time. That doesn’t mean he may not appear to someone. After all, we see him show up in the temptation of Jesus in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11). But this is where demons come in.
Can Satan be everywhere at once? Nowhere in Scripture indicates he has any sort of omnipresence. Although he has a firm grip on this world, he cannot be in all places at all times.
Satan is not just limited in terms of how many places he can be at once. It seems that Scripture indicates he has limits in other capacities. Let’s tackle that in our next section with another frequently asked question.
Can Satan Read Minds?
I don’t know of a single Christian who hasn’t worried about this question at one point. “What if Satan can read my mind?”
After all, we know that Satan can plant ideas in the minds and hearts of men. And demons can possess certain people.
That said, nowhere in Scripture indicates that Satan (or the angels, for that matter) can read our minds. Rest assured that power resides in God only.
So with this in mind, what limits does Satan have to his power? Let’s explore some of these below.
Satan has to ask permission to carry out certain tasks: We see this happen in Job 1 and Job 2. Satan challenges God regarding his servant Job. Satan asks if he can wreak havoc on Job’s life. But he cannot do so without God’s permission. In this instance, God does allow Satan to operate how he wishes—with some exceptions. In the first passage, God tells Satan not to lay a finger on Job. Job later endures sickness, but only after God allows Satan to do so. We also see that sometimes God does not give Satan permission, as indicated in Luke 22:31.
Satan is not all-knowing: Satan is an observer. He and the demons likely have a grasp of your weaknesses. Not because they can read minds. But because they’ve been operating this way for thousands of years. Humans are predictable; we fall into the same traps. They know how to tempt you. With that said, Satan doesn’t know everything. He has no idea when Jesus will return. Satan does know his Scripture, as indicated when he tempts Jesus. With that in mind, Satan will know the signs pointing to Jesus’ second coming (many of which have already come to pass). And he will do what he can to prevent that second coming from happening (Daniel 7:25). But he doesn’t know the Lord’s plan and every move. He can try to anticipate God’s moves but will ultimately fail in the end.
Satan is a created being: All created beings depend on a creator. Whether he likes it or not, Satan ultimately depends on God for his existence and survival. Although God will allow him to operate for a short period, he will not live eternally. He’ll endure a rather brutal demise come to the final judgment.
Rest assured, dear Christian, that God is in control. Nevertheless, we should know as much as we can about Satan.
Why Should Christians Know about Satan?
Scripture makes it clear that daily, we fight a spiritual battle. Against Satan, and his minions, that grip this world.
It’s stated clearly here in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
We don’t have to know everything about demons, necessarily. In fact, obsessing about them can lead to some troubles in the heart and mind.
But with that said, we do need to know our enemy.
We need to understand how he operates and his limits. And we need to rely on God to defeat our enemy.
Knowing the limits of Satan can give a Christian a spirit of peace, even as spiritual battles wage on. Satan cannot read our minds, be everywhere at once, or even carry out all the tasks he wants to do against us.
Can Satan be everywhere at once?
No, but we should still keep a watchful eye out for his temptations and the temptations of fallen angels. Know your enemy, believer, and know that God wins in the end.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Aphelleon
Hope Bolinger is an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, book editor for hire, and the author of almost 30 books. More than 1500 of her works have been featured in various publications. Check out her books at hopebolinger.com for clean books in most genres, great for adults and kids. Check out her editing profile at Reedsy.com to find out about hiring her for your next book project.
