Is the Devil Real?
Month 2: The King Steps Forward · Why We Believe
Today's Scripture
Read together: Matthew 4:1–3 & 1 Peter 5:8
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. 3 The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” — Matthew 4:1–3
8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. — 1 Peter 5:8
Memory Verse
“But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’””— Matthew 4:4 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Numbers 11–13
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 40 of 365 — twelve spies enter the land, and most come back afraid.)The Heart of It
In the wilderness, Jesus wasn't tempted by a vague bad feeling or just His own imagination. He faced a real, personal enemy. The Bible calls him "the tempter," "the devil," and "Satan" (). The Bible never treats him as a cartoon with a pitchfork. He is not a make-believe symbol of bad ideas. He is a real fallen creature. He is a created being, not God's equal. He "walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (). Pretending he isn't real leaves us defenseless. But obsessing over him gives him too much honor. We do neither.
Here is the steadying truth. The devil is real, but he is not almighty. And he is already defeated. He could only suggest things to Jesus. He could not make Jesus do anything. That part matters. Temptation is not sin, and the enemy cannot force your will. He can knock, but you decide whether to open the door. And every believer has been handed real authority and a real Helper. "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (). We don't fight for victory. Through Jesus we fight from victory. So we stay alert, and we resist him. promises, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
Around the Table
There is a bad one called the devil who tries to trick people. But Jesus is way, way stronger, and Jesus keeps us safe!
Let's do it: Make a big strong muscle and say, "Jesus is stronger than any bad thing!"
The devil is real, but all he can do is try to trick us. He can't make us do anything. With God's help, we can say no.
Let's talk: What's the difference between being tempted to do wrong and actually choosing to do wrong? (Hint: Jesus was tempted but never sinned.)
Satan is a real, created, fallen being. He is powerful but limited. And he was already defeated at the cross. He can tempt, accuse, and lie. But he cannot take over your will.
Let's go deeper: Why is it dangerous to believe the devil doesn't exist? And why is it just as dangerous to fear him as if he were as strong as God?
💬 Conversation Starter
If a stranger online told you to do something you knew was wrong, you could just say no, right? The devil is like that. He can suggest things, but you hold the door.
🛡️ Defending the Faith
When someone says… "The devil is just a myth grown-ups use to explain bad behavior." You could kindly answer: "I understand why it sounds old-fashioned. But think about it. Real evil clearly exists in the world. Even people who don't believe in the devil agree that some things are truly evil, not just unfortunate. The Bible names a real source behind much of it. Yet it never lets us off the hook for our own choices. And the same Jesus who faced the tempter also crushed him at the cross. So I'm not afraid of the devil. I just take seriously the One who already won." Always with gentleness and respect ().
For Dad · Go Deeper
A father has to hold two truths at once for his kids. Spiritual warfare is real. And Jesus has decisively won. C. S. Lewis warned of two equal errors about devils. One is to disbelieve they exist. The other is to feel "an excessive and unhealthy interest in them." Lead your home down the narrow middle. Be alert but unafraid. In practice, that means two things. You don't dabble in the occult or treat it as harmless entertainment. And you don't see a demon behind every difficulty. Most of your family's battles will be fought with very ordinary weapons. Scripture memorized. Prayer prayed. Sin confessed quickly. The Holy Spirit relied on. Teach your children that resisting the enemy looks less like a dramatic showdown and more like a boy choosing honesty when a lie would be easier. That quiet "no" is real warfare, and heaven backs it.
Draws on: C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Preface).
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You that Jesus is far stronger than any enemy. Help us stay alert but never afraid, because You live in us. Teach us to resist the devil and to run to You. In Jesus' name, amen."
The enemy is real, but he is already beaten. And the One who lives in me is greater.