Randy Smith
Satan is the prince of darkness, but he often uses his “smiling light” to achieve his best purposes. His effectiveness is limited when he comes as an open enemy, but oh so very powerful when he comes as a friend, when he comes as an “angel of light” (verse 14), like a Judas among the apostles. Satan deceives people to pull them down through self-righteousness, self-confidence and self-esteem. Then the enemy deceives them to keep them down through self-regret, self-despair and self-pity. Satan is powerful, but his is a defeated foe. For the Christian, he is only as strong as the power we permit him to have in our lives.
Randy Smith