A long time ago before God created man, he created angels. God gave them tasks to do, each one to his own task. He appointed three angels to be above the others as the princes of all angels. These chief angels were called Michael, Gabriel, and Lucifer. Lucifer means ‘son of dawn’ and God gave him a high position. He asked him to rule over this world of ours. He was a mighty prince among all the angels and so beautiful that all respected him.

When Lucifer compared himself with other angels he thought that he was the wisest and mightiest of them all. Perhaps the praise of other angels also spurred him on to thinking of himself as good and wise. So this mighty angel became proud. When he continued to compare himself with other angels he grew prouder and prouder, and eventually he thought that he was wiser than God himself. In the end he began to plan on how to seize power in heaven.

He began to look for followers who would help him to overthrow the government of God. When he met with other angels, he spoke ill of God. He put into their minds the idea that if he was the ruler of the universe he would rule much better than God. In this manner he got many angels on his side. They thought that Lucifer could rule better than God, and planned on how to overthrow God from the throne. God knew the intention of Lucifer from the beginning, and did not let it happen. He is almighty and far mightier than all the angels that he had created. He ordered Lucifer and all his followers to be cast out of heaven. So Lucifer lost his position. God prepared eternal fire called hell, where Lucifer and his angels are going to be cast into after the final judgment.

When Lucifer saw that his plan to seize power had failed, he grew very angry and swore revenge on God. Since then Lucifer has been a fierce enemy of God. His name was changed and he is no more called the son of the dawn but Satan or the devil or the tempter. Because he is God’s enemy, he also hates us men, because he knows that God loves us more than anything else. For this reason, Satan tries to encourage people to sin because he knows very well that sin separates us from God. His aim is to take us with him to hell, and thereby separate us from God forever. Satan is helped by the evil angels who fell along with him. They are called angels of darkness. Satan is also in charge of the army of evil spirits. He leads them when fighting against God and his people. The Bible tells us that Satan will never overcome God, or destroy the children of God because Jesus has already overcome him.

The happy atmosphere of tranquility in the beginning was shattered, when Lucifer the mighty and wise angel became the first sinner. At first he became proud, then started to lie, and then finally wanted to rebel against God. In this way, a good angel became Satan, the enemy of God. Now he tries to get us to follow his example, to be proud, to lie and rebel against God. He steals, destroys and kills God’s possessions. How does he do that? God’s dearest possession is us. How does he try to destroy me? Every time I sin, I am obeying Satan and causing sorrow to God. If I continue to obey him, he will make me his slave and drag me to hell.

What a relief for me to know that Jesus has overcome Satan. If I believe in Jesus, I am safe with him and Satan cannot hurt me. All I have to is ask God’s help to not obey Satan. I want to obey Jesus and get eternal life.

(Adapted from Eze 28:14–17, Is14:12-14, Mt 24:41, Jn 8:4)