The Night of Questioning
It was the kind of night that makes a man stare at his ceiling and wonder why the darkness feels so heavy. The house was quiet, except for the soft hum of the refrigerator and the distant bark of a dog. I lay awake, thoughts spiraling like winter wind, asking why an all‑powerful Father would allow a foe to roam the earth. The question rose from a simple sigh: why does God let Satan walk among us? My heart beat against the silence, each thump a reminder that the answer is not in the shadows but in the Light. In that stillness I remembered a verse Jesus taught on the hill, and it steadied my breath.
Jesus said, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" (Matt. 5:44). The command does not shy away from the existence of an adversary; it points directly to the one who permits the adversary. By loving the enemy, we acknowledge his reality without granting him authority over our hearts. The verse draws a line between the presence of evil and the power we give it when we refuse to love. In that moment my mind saw Satan not as a puppet but as a catalyst for the kind of love Christ demands.
Theologically, the presence of Satan serves as a mirror that reflects our need for divine grace. Scripture tells us that God "maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45). The sun does not discriminate; it simply fulfills its purpose, revealing that God's provision extends even to those who walk in darkness. This truth shatters the notion that God creates evil for its own sake; He allows it to exist so that His mercy may be displayed in contrast. When we see the enemy, we are invited to display a love that only He can satisfy. The verse turns the question on its head: the existence of Satan is not a flaw in God's design but a stage upon which His perfect love can be performed.
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"— Matt. 5:44, KJV
The Failure of Self‑Reliance
When the mind tries to solve the problem of Satan on its own, it builds a tower of rules that crumble at the first wind. I have watched men clutch legalistic formulas, believing that a stricter life will push the adversary out of sight. Their efforts are like trying to hold back a tide with a spoon; the effort is visible, but the result never arrives. The Bible exposes this futility when it says, "If ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?" (Matt. 5:46). The verse tells us that human merit is a hollow promise; even those without faith can claim it. It points the way to a source of power that does not depend on our ability to keep the enemy at bay. The answer lies not in tighter rules but in a heart that rests on Christ's finished work.
Christ’s response to the failure of self‑reliance is found in His humble service at the table. He washed his disciples' feet, a task reserved for the lowliest servant, and then said, "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet." (John 13:14). The act is a picture of dependence on the One who has already borne our sins. By washing each other's feet, we acknowledge that we cannot cleanse ourselves from the stain of the enemy; only He who has already been cleansed can empower us to act. The verse draws a line from our useless attempts to the power of shared obedience, showing that unity in service defeats the isolation that Satan seeks. Our reliance shifts from self to the One who already conquered the foe on Calv'ry's hill.
The exegesis of John 13:14‑15 uncovers a profound truth about the enemy's role. The Greek word for "washed" (nēsō) carries a connotation of complete removal, not merely surface cleaning. In the cultural setting, foot‑washing was an act of hospitality for travelers whose feet were dusty from long journeys. By washing his disciples' feet, Jesus was extending divine hospitality to a fallen world. The act also points forward to the cleansing power of His blood, which removes the stain of sin that gives Satan a foothold. The passage tells us that when we imitate this service, we participate in the kingdom's work of removing the enemy's grip on hearts. Thus, Satan's existence becomes a backdrop against which Christ’s servant‑heart shines brightest.
"If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet."— John 13:14, KJV
Living the Grace in Daily Tangles
Consider a mother who wakes before sunrise, her child's fevered brow glistening with sweat. She prays for healing while the night stretches long, and she feels the presence of an unseen adversary pressing upon her heart. In that moment, the verse "for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good" (Matt. 5:45) becomes a whisper of comfort. The mother sees that the same sun that warms her child's cheek also shines on the one who would delight in their suffering. The truth is not that God ignores pain, but that He uses the same light that sustains evil to bring hope. By remembering that God's provision blankets both the righteous and the wicked, she finds a steadiness to care for her child without fear of the enemy's power. The verse transforms a scene of anxiety into one of confident reliance on God's impartial grace.
I have often urged believers to lay their burdens at the foot of the cross, for Christ has already carried them. When we try to fix every knot in our lives, we become the very thing Satan wants: a self‑reliant idol. The gospel invites us to rest, saying, "For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?" (Matt. 5:46). The passage reminds us that love, not effort, is the currency of God's kingdom. By resting in Christ's completed work, we cease to be the battlefield where the enemy fights. The invitation is simple: let His love flow through you, and watch how the chaos of daily life loses its bite. This rest is not passive; it is a confident surrender that turns every ordinary task into an act of worship.
Walking in grace day by day means letting the truth of Christ's love shape each small decision. When a colleague snaps at us, we can remember that the sun rises on both the wicked and the good, and choose to bless rather than rebuke. When a spouse forgets an anniversary, we can pray for them as Jesus taught, knowing that prayer weakens the enemy's hold. Each moment becomes a chance to demonstrate that the presence of Satan does not dictate our response. The pattern is clear: recognize the adversary, love the enemy, and let Christ's perfect love be the standard. In doing so, we turn every ordinary interaction into a testimony of God's sovereign grace.
"For he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."— Matt. 5:45, KJV
Standing on the Rock of Promise
The foundation of our hope rests upon God's immutable nature, a rock that does not shift when the enemy rages. Scripture declares, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48). The call to perfection is not a demand for flawlessness but an invitation to reflect the Father's character. When we grasp that God's perfection includes allowing even the foe to exist for a purpose, our fear dissolves. The verse anchors us in the certainty that God's plan is unbreakable, even when we cannot see its shape. It reminds us that the enemy's presence is a thread woven into a tapestry of redemption that we cannot unravel, but can trust to be used for good.
A warning rings through the text: if we cling to performance, we become prisoners of our own standards. The same passage that calls us to perfection also warns against the temptation to earn God's favor through deeds alone. When we think that avoiding Satan's influence is a matter of stricter discipline, we forget that Christ already defeated the foe on Calv'ry's hill. The danger lies in believing we can out‑work the enemy, for that pride hands him a foothold. The verse says plainly that true perfection is found not in our effort but in becoming like the Father, who loves even those who oppose us. Let this truth keep us from sliding back into self‑reliant guilt.
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."— Matt. 5:48, KJV
So when the night grows dark and the question rises again, remember that Christ's love is the answer to why Satan walks beside us. He invites us to love the enemy, to serve one another's feet, and to trust that the same sun rises on all. Our confidence rests not in our ability to banish evil, but in the perfect character of a Father who uses even opposition for His glory. Rest now in that truth, and let each day become a testimony of grace flowing through you to a world that watches for hope.