March 17

When God cast these rebels out of heaven, they became aliens on earth. Ever since, they have been wandering fitfully, seeking to do mischief to the children of men-- especially those traveling on heaven's road.

Besides their vast number, the unity and order among devils makes their number even more formidable. We cannot say there is love among them. Such a heavenly fire cannot burn in a devil's bosom. Yet there is unity and order in their common goal to overcome both God and man. Knit together not by ligaments of love but of hatred and policy, they know their prospects are utterly hopeless if they do not all agree in their evil design.

How faithfully they are to this wicked brotherhood! Our Lord testified to this when He said, "If Satan cast out Satan, he is devided against himself" (Matthew 12:26). Did you ever hear of a mutiny in the devil's army? Or that any of these apostate angels freely yielded one soul to Christ?

They are many, and yet there is but one spirit of wickedness in them all. "My name is Legion; for we are many," the devil said to Christ (Mark 5:9). Note he did not say, "Our name..." These cursed spirits work together in their schemes and will enlist human cooperation whenever they can. Not content with bare obedience, they work on the darkest souls to extract an oath of faithfulness, as in the case of witches.

Yet another declaration of the power of devils is their mighty works. What dreadful effects this prince of the power of the air can produce in nature! He is no creator, so he cannot make the least breath of air, drop of water, or spark of fire. But let him loose in God's storehouse, and he will use the Creator's tools so deftly that no man can stand before them. He can hurl the sea into such a commotion that the depths boil like a pot, and fan the air into storms and tempests that threaten to bring the very heavens crashing down to earth.

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