Yes, Satan has a kingdom and he gives it to whosoever he will. That’s an overwhelming thought and it is changing the way many people live. Satan made that point to Jesus and the Son of God did not argue with it. He simply rejected any desire to be a part of his dark world. Look at the manner in which Satan tempted Jesus, “And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (St. Luke 4:5-8). The Scripture further states that Satan is the “god of this world” (II Corinthians 4:4). If you will give him your soul, he does have the power to give you the kingdom of the world.
Our world has a multitude of people that Satan has purchased just like he tried to buy Jesus. Many people will look at their worldly blessings and say, “Look what God has blessed me with.” They do not know that it was not the God of Heaven but the false god of this world. Any material blessing that does not come in a manner that makes you a greater saint or richer toward God did not come from the Heavenly Father. Anything you possess that robs you of your family time, your church life, or your devotion in the Word of God and prayer is not from the God of Eternity. When your job becomes a weight around your neck, you must ask the Lord of your life to free you for His kingdom from the burden of destruction.
If the world offers you some great possession that separates you from the church where God has planted you, you must stop to consider the source of that offer. If the world tries to buy you away from the time necessary to be a great elder or deacon in your church, a dedicated dad or mom, or a dedicated husband or wife, the offer did not come from the third heaven but from that kingdom in the mid-air. Satan is very busy buying this world’s allegiance. We look at lives of rock stars, movie actors, and other celebrity personalities and quickly admit that they have sold out to the god of this world. Do not forget that the devil is buying the little man or woman just like he is buying the big fish.
No wonder Jesus made such strenuous requirements for His disciples and saints. The world and its god, Lucifer, are constantly after your heart. Satan will pay any price to buy and destroy your soul and the only possibility for your eternal salvation is total surrender to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. You must “forsake all,” the entire world and all of its claims for your one Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” (St. Luke 9:23b-25). Later, He added, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27). The majority of the church world is religious but knows nothing of this kind of Biblical surrender. They are going to be eternally lost unless someone gets this message to their heart.
The only blessings you can count as being from God are those that come to you after you have denied all to follow Jesus. When you surrender to Him, deny yourself, and deny all the claims men make on you in exchange for the one life of total lordship under Jesus Christ, He will meet all of your needs and give you more than Satan could have ever given, plus eternal life. That is His promise to every saint of God. Read carefully, “And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting” (St. Luke 18:29-30). His offer to every living soul is to give you His Kingdom if you will refuse Satan’s kingdom. There are only two kingdoms in the world and the choice is yours. Jesus said, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (St. Luke 12:32).
Joseph R. Chambers