Is Satan The Ruler of This World?

By Clement Harrold

September 27, 2024
_Dr. Peter Howard and Father Dave Tomaszyck -- Speaker Series (1)

Until Christ’s second coming, this world remains at least partially under Satan’s authority because it remains enmeshed in sin. As 1 John 3:8 reminds us, “He who commits sin is of the devil.” For this reason the New Testament describes Satan variously as “the ruler of this world” (Jn 12:31), “the god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4), and “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2).

Nevertheless, believers have nothing to fear, since Jesus assures us that the devil is being cast out of this world (see Jn 12:31). Ever since Calvary, the evil one’s power over men has been broken: “[Christ] has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col 1:13).

Jesus captures this truth vividly in His parable of the strong man: “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace; but when one stronger than he assails him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoil” (Lk 11:21-22).

The joy of the Gospel consists in the knowledge that Christ is the stronger man who has demolished the strongholds of the devil, liberating the souls caught in his snares. Although Satan remains the god of this world, his power is swiftly waning.

Like the white witch in C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the devil knows his winter is fast melting away. The Cross has sundered his power; hope is in the air. For a little while longer, the spiritual battle continues. But the Good News of the Gospel assures us that the stronger man is in control, and His Kingdom is coming soon.

Clement Harrold earned his master’s degree in theology from the University of Notre Dame in 2024, and his bachelor’s from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2021. His writings have appeared in First Things, Church Life Journal, Crisis Magazine, and the Washington Examiner.

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In On the Demonic, Sheen addresses the history of the demonic, how the devil manifested himself to Our Lord, how he has worked throughout the Church’s history, and how the Anti-Christ will come in the end times.

Though Sheen is not optimistic about world history, he is most optimistic about Jesus’ final victory: “There is one thing we do know. If Christ wins, we win!“

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