Can I pray for the devil’s death?

Sincerely,
Grim

Dear Grim,

We should pray for things until God gives us a clear and definitive answer.  Before we stop to pray for something, we must always stop to read what God has to say first (Eccl 5:1).  After all, no matter what we want, God’s will should come first (Matt 6:10).

In the case of the devil, God says that He has already reserved a place for him and his angels (2 Pet 2:4).  God has already decided that the devil will be cast forever into the lake of fire (Rev 20:10).  However, God has also decided that He will be patient and wait for just the right time to judge the devil, his angels, and all mankind (2 Pet 3:9-10).

     Do angels and demons appear to people today?

Sincerely,
Keeping My Eyes Peeled

Dear Keeping My Eyes Peeled,

There is absolutely no way of knowing whether or not angels and demons appear to people today, but we do know that they don’t make themselves evident by demon possession or angels coming with new messages from God.  Gal 1:8 says that angels have no new message to provide us with, and therefore, there is no need to visit people in the unmasked fashion they once did.  In the days of the Old Testament, God spoke to mankind in various forms, including through angels, but now we only need to listen to His Son (Heb 1:1-2).

     Where in the bible does it tell of the devil and his demons being fallen angels?

Sincerely,
Scripture Please

Dear Scripture Please,

The Bible doesn’t give us much information on the devil’s origins, and since the Bible is vague, we must also be vague.  The Bible says that certain angels sinned against God and were cast down and reserved for judgment (2 Pet 2:4).  The Bible never specifically mentions the devil as part of that crew of angels, but this may refer to him as well.  The Bible says that the devil is the father of lies and murder (Jhn 8:44).  The devil was cast out of heaven by God because the devil rebelled against God and sinned.  Beyond that, we have very little information.  We know that Jesus bound Satan when Jesus came to earth (Mk 3:22-27), and Jesus’ sacrifice cast him out of heaven (Rev 12:7-11).  We also know that the devil will eventually be cast into the fires of hell with his angels (Matt 25:41).

Does Satan live somewhere?  If God lives in heaven, does Satan have somewhere to dwell… like in hell?

Sincerely,
Looking For An Address

Dear Looking For An Address,

Satan roams to and fro on the Earth (Job 1:7).  Satan spends his entire existence seeking souls that he can devour and destroy (1 Pet 5:8).  When Jesus died on the cross, Satan was cast down from the heavens (Rev 12:9-11).  Satan is called the prince of this world (Jhn 12:31), and he secretly roams amongst men until God casts him into the lake of fire reserved for him (Matt 25:41).

     There's a gal at work who is praying for Satan's salvation.  I told her that this is a lost cause; however, I could not provide biblical reference to his eternal fallen nature.  Will you please provide me with a biblical reference to study and pray over to help her in this area?  Thanks and God Bless!

Sincerely,
Rootin’ For The Good Guys

Dear Rootin’ For The Good Guys,

The Bible makes it clear that the devil’s fate is already sealed.  Matt 25:41 says that the eternal fires of hell are prepared for the devil and his angels… which humans join them is still up for grabs (Matt 7:13-14).  Rev 20:10 says the same thing.  Satan has already chosen his path, and he either has no opportunity or no desire to change course.