When will Satan be defeated?

Answer

Satan. The devil. Beelzebul. Lucifer. He goes by many names, but the most powerful force of evil in the universe has already been defeated. The timer on the end of his evil activities was set when the Son of God walked out of the tomb (Matthew 28:7). Jesus defeated sin and death, and Satan was put on notice. Therefore, his time is short (see Revelation 12:12).

Satan’s downfall began the moment he, as the angel Lucifer, challenged God and tried to redirect heaven’s worship to himself (Isaiah 14:13–14). From the moment of his rebellion, Satan’s doom was sure. God cast him from heaven to earth (Luke 10:18) where he tempted humanity into sin and caused Adam to follow his example and rebel against God (Genesis 3:6–7, 17–19; Romans 5:12). Satan is now called “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2, ESV), “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4, ESV), “the accuser” of Christians (Revelation 12:10), and “the deceiver of the whole world” (Revelation 12:9, ESV). God prepared hell as a place of punishment for Satan (Matthew 25:41).

One common misconception is that Satan and God are equal foes, battling for preeminence. This idea is completely false. God has no equal. He created all things, including the angel Lucifer, who became the being we call “Satan.” As a created being, Satan only has the power and authority God gives him. We see this truth in the book of Job, where Satan has to ask permission to torment one of God’s servants (Job 1:6—2:8). Jesus also alluded to Satan’s short leash when He told His disciples that Satan had asked to test them (Luke 22:31–32). Satan’s minions, the demons, must also ask the Lord’s permission before they act (see Mark 5:9–13). For reasons known only to God, Satan is allowed to wreak havoc on the earth until the time God will forever banish him.

First Corinthians 15:24–26 says, “Then the end will come, when [Jesus] hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. For he must reign until he has put everything under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” Satan’s time of freedom is nearing the end. When Jesus returns, He will be victorious in a battle we call “Armageddon” (Revelation 16:6). It won’t be much of a fight because Jesus annihilates Satan’s forces with the word of His mouth (2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 19:21).

After his defeat at Armageddon, Satan will be bound for a thous and years “to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thous and years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time” (Revelation 20:3). At the end of that time, Satan is released; true to form, he leads one more rebellion against Christ and His kingdom (verses 7–9). Again, Satan’s forces are defeated, and Satan himself is “thrown into the lake of burning sulfur” to “be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). After the final judgment of all those who have rejected Christ (Revelation 20:11–15), eternal paradise begins for the children of God. Sin and Satan are eternally banished.

In one sense, Satan is already defeated. Jesus won the victory over him through the cross and the resurrection (Colossians 2:15). It is now possible to live in victory over Satan every day in our lives. The Holy Spirit empowers God’s children to say “no” to Satan’s agenda and walk in the Spirit, living a life pleasing to God (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16, 25). The ultimate defeat of Satan is yet to come, when he will be condemned to the lake of fire forever. His reign as the god of this world will be comparatively brief, and Christians can live in light of the truth that his doom is sure.