Bible Question:
I am told that Satan is in control of this world; yet in John 12:31 Jesus tells us “. . . now the prince of this world will be driven out. ” (NIV) Does this not tell us that Satan is no longer in control, or is this only relevant to Christians declaring Jesus is Lord?
Bible Answer:
God tells us that Satan is in control of this world, but does that mean he is completely free to do as he pleases?
Satan At War
The war between God and Satan has been raging since Satan sinned (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-17). Since then Satan has been tempting men and women to sin, and he has been successful. He seeks to bring dishonor to God by motivating us to sin. Genesis 3:1-7 reveals that Satan tempted Eve to sin. He motivated Eve to believe that God was dishonest (Genesis 3:4). As a result, Eve and then Adam rebelled and disobeyed God. Scripture records that Satan tempted King David to sin (1 Chronicles 21:1).
When Jesus was born, the war between God and Satan entered a new phase. Satan knew better than the people of the world that Jesus was God in human flesh. So he motivated King Herod to kill all the male babies two years of age and under. But God rescued the infant Jesus by having Joseph and Mary move to Egypt. That was Satan’s first major attempt to destroy Jesus and prevent Him from later dying on the cross.
The next major attempt occurred at the start of Jesus’ ministry. Satan tried to motivate Jesus to sin when He was in the wilderness for 40 days without food (Matthew 4:2). Satan tempted Jesus three times. Each time he hoped Jesus would sin, but each time Jesus quoted Scripture to him. Jesus never sinned. If Satan had been able to motivate Jesus to sin, Satan would have won. Jesus then would have become a sinner and His death would have been meaningless. He would not have been our Savior and Lord. Jesus’ death would not have had any value.
These few examples reveal that God the Father has given Satan the freedom to tempt every man and woman on the earth. Satan has great power to make people sick, to kill people, and manipulate the weather (Job 1:12-15, 16, 19; 2:7). But his greatest power is in tempting people to sin.
Satan’s Lost Power
That is, the Scriptures tell us that Satan is in control of this world right now. God is allowing Satan to have control. This truth can be found in many passages. Here are some of them.
. . . in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Ephesians 2:2 (NASB)
I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me . . . John 14:30 (NASB)
. . . in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4 (NASB)
We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 1 John 5:19 (NASB)
Satan is called the prince of the power of the air, the ruler of this world, the god of this world, and then we are told that the world lies in his power. It is very clear who is being allowed to have control. But Satan does not have absolute power or control. It is only for a while.
Victory Over Death
When Jesus died on the cross, God’ wrath over our sin was finally satisfied. He was now able to completely forgive the sins of every believer forever, and to rescue believers from spiritual death (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). In addition, another wonderful truth is that Jesus rescued us from Satan’s control.
Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil . . . Hebrews 2:14 (NASB)
Satan can blind the spiritual eyes of the world (2 Corinthians 4:4) and prevent men and women from understanding that they can be saved by faith in Jesus Christ (Matthew 13:19). Satan used to control death by tempting people to sin, thus proving that every person born serves death. But since Christ died for our sins, believers are forgiven. Therefore, even if the devil’s temptations succeed in causing a believer to sin, that believer will not die a spiritual death and go to hell. Men and women can now live forever with God. Without the death and resurrection of Jesus, every man and woman faced living forever in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15). Now by believing and trusting in Jesus to forgive their sins, men and women can now be forgiven and live forever with God.
Conclusion:
The verse you are asking about is the promise that some future day Satan will be cast out of this world.
Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself. But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die. John 12:31-33 (NASB)
Jesus spoke of His own death when He said that He would be lifted up and as a result He would draw all men to Himself. Jesus was predicting His death on a Roman cross. That was the victory over Satan and as a result Satan will some day be cast into the Lake of Fire to live there forever (Revelation 20:10). Jesus has defeated Satan! Hallelujah!!