That which makes the desires of the flesh appealing and inflates human pride is this world. The Bible identifies Satan as the god of this world. In addition, John explains, “and all that is of the world is the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). These three are not of the Father but of the world. This is the dividing line of allegiance. We must choose which one we will serve as no neutral gound exists. The flesh corresponds to the world, while the Spirit corresponds to the Father. As the flesh and Spirit are on opposite sides of this warfare, so is the Father and the world. 1 John 5:19 reads, “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.” The phrase “lies in wickedness” should be translated “lies [under the sway of] the wicked one,” as the New King James has it. The wicked one has authority over all operations of all cultural systems on earth. He is the king and controls what the world (cosmos). The world is an orderly system, not the people for whom God sent His son to die and desires for all to be saved. Nor is it the world that is part of the universe. It was created “very good.” Paul describes the two systems in Colossians 3 when he writes, “Set your affection on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, not on things below. These are two different systems of life that is so diverse opposite from each other that one might say about the other “He or she lives in another world.”
Satan had power but only as much as was allowed or was given to him. For this reason we find the Devil’s statement in Luke 4:5-6, after showing Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.” The only one who has the power to deliver this “authority and their glory” to Satan is God. Not only has he been given power, limits and restrictions were placed on his use of power (Job). He sets the limits of His power and dictates the terms and limits of his temptations on the people of God. (More on that tomorrow).