No, the devil is not as powerful as God—nor will he ever be. In fact, some day his power will come to an end, and in the final battle of the ages he will be defeated forever. The Bible says, “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur … for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).

There is much about the devil that God hasn’t revealed to us; we don’t always know why evil seems to flourish. But the Bible tells us two very important truths about the devil. First, although he isn’t as powerful as God, the devil is still very powerful, and we must never take him lightly. His goal is to block God and His plans—and he will use every trick and every scheme he possibly can to deceive us and turn us away from God. The Bible calls him a “roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

But the other truth we need to remember is that Satan is a defeated foe! When Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross, His enemies thought they had defeated Him—and so did Satan. But His resurrection from the dead proved the opposite! Instead, by His death and resurrection Christ conquered sin and death and Hell and Satan. And some day that victory will be complete, and Christ will come again in glory.

Don’t focus on the world and its evils. Focus instead on Jesus Christ, and put your faith and trust in Him. “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Put your hope in Christ today.