< STRONG Yes. Children of disobedience are under Satan's direction.
Eph 2:2 ...In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.
Matt 13:38, 39 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil...
Before we are saved and become children of light (Eph 5:8), we are a part of the kingdom of darkness and are in fact, unknowingly, sons of disobedience (Col 1:13). The sons of disobedience are those who are in rebellion against God- those living by the sinful nature (Rom 8:5). Satan manipulates them so they seek to gratify the sinful nature's cravings and desires (Eph 2:3). He blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Cor 4:4) and is the prince of the power of the air and is in control of the course of this world: "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" (Eph 6:12).
The sons of disobedience are characterized by the things Paul lists in Eph 5:3-6: fornication, impurity, idolatry, filthiness, etc. They pervert the ways of the Lord (Acts 13:10). There is a difference between a child of disobedience sinning and a believer, for a believer sins yet repents and is forgiven. A child of disobedience has no desire to repent or turn from his sin to God, and therefore rebels against Him. “Evil men set him up for their sovereign, and are wholly at his beck and obedience” (Trapp).
While unbelievers may not think Satan is leading them, they are under his guidance/influence. Satan leads the course of this world and it's evident when you see the sin that pervades our culture and media. Satan only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Yet, although he is in charge of the course of this world, he has been defeated by Jesus, and therefore there is hope (Rev 12:11, 1 John 3:8, Col 2:15, Heb 2:14,15)!!
"Christians are admonished to be aware of Satan’s schemes so they can refute them through the guidance and power of the indwelling Holy Spirit....The church is warned to be vigilant of Satan’s devices. Christian leaders, says Paul, must lead lives worthy of God’s calling so that they "will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap" (1 Timothy 3:7). Christians must be aware of the devil’s schemes and must put on the armor of God "against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:10-12). They are to do this "in order that Satan might not outwit us" (2 Corinthians 2:11)." (http://www.gci.org/spiritual/trials/satan).
-JM, David Guzik Commentary on Ephesians 6
>> If Satan has been defeated, how is he still able to rule and have power?
< OK He was defeated in the sense that he didn't bring Jesus under his control.
Jesus has defeated Satan in that the devil could not bring him under his control. No temptation that was hurled at Jesus by Satan was powerful enough to entice him away from his love for and faith in God (Matthew 4:1-11). He has vanquished the devil and taken "the strong man’s" possessions (Matthew 12:24-29), which was the world he held captive....
-http://www.gci.org/spiritual/trials/satan
< OK He continues to have power to fulfill God's purposes.
[Firstly, He continues to have power so we can choose to obey God or not - he is the alternative]. Secondly, Satan and his kingdom exists to ensure that people reap what they sow. Thirdly, Satan is permitted to operate while God gives mankind time to repent. For God could not forcibly remove evil from the Universe justly unless He also destroyed sinners at the same time. God instead is holding back his wrath, giving men time to turn to Him.
-http://www.christian-faith.com/bible-studies/satan-devil.html
< STRONG His power is limited. Christians have authority over the devil. (Biblical)
"Even though Christ broke Satan’s legal power, the Lord has left it up to us to “enforce” the Devil’s defeated condition. It's our responsibility to use the authority that Christ has given us to put Satan in his place." (Dale Robbins)
"[Satan] works through his forces, including fallen angels and demons. These spirits seek to live in and work through people, usually in a hidden way." [emphasis added] (http://www.christian-faith.com/bible-studies/satan-devil.html)
Believers have been given authority over the the devil and his works:
James 4:7 Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Matt 10:1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
Mark 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues.
Matt 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Eph 6:16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Rom 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
1 John 4:4 ...The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Luke 10:19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
Col 2:15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities [(the devil and his demons)], he [Jesus] made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
2 Cor 10:4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
We have been created a little less than God (not less than angels) and will judge angels in the end:
Ps 8:4,5 What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou dost care for him?Yet thou hast made him little less than God, and dost crown him with glory and honor.
1 Cor 6:3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!
We have authority over the devil and his workings! We must actively resist him, being alert and clear-minded (1 Pt 5:8) so as to exercise our authority given to us by Jesus. We have been given spiritual weapons with which to fight. We are even commanded by Jesus himself to drive out demons (see above verses)- in fact it's a sign that we are his followers. So, although the devil still has some power, he has no power over us who are in Christ.
-JM, Dale Robbins http://www.victorious.org/devil.htm
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