I had a seminary professor I loved and admired who did not believe in a personal Devil. He often said, “You really need to drop the letter D and just say Evil.” He went on to say, “Larry, sometimes, the way people talk, it almost makes you believe there is a PERSONAL Devil!” I was shocked.
It’s amazing how someone so learned can miss the truth of Scripture so far.
Jesus cast a personal Devil out of Heaven.
Job battled a personal Devil for his life.
Jesus faced a personal Devil in the Wilderness.
Jesus defeated a personal Devil on the Cross.
Paul fought against a personal Devil in his ministry.
You are fighting a personal Devil in your life right now!
Notice how Ezekiel describes a PERSONAL Devil in Ezekiel 28 with the usage of the personal pronoun, “YOU”:
v. 12 – “You were the seal of perfection”
v. 13 – “You were in Eden”
v. 13 – “You were adorned”
v. 13 – “Your settings were made of gold”
v. 13 – “You were created”
v. 14 – “You were anointed”
v. 14 – “You were ordained”
v. 14 – “You were on the holy mount of God”
v. 14 – “You walked among the fiery stones”
v. 15 – “You were blameless”
v. 15 – “You were found with wickedness”
v. 16 – “You were filled with violence”
v. 15 – “You sinned”
v. 17 – “Your heart became proud”
v. 17 – “You corrupted your wisdom”
You, you, you, you, you! Do YOU get the point of Scripture???
YOU don’t talk this way to an impersonal force.
YOU don’t talk this way to an idea.
YOU don’t talk this way to a theological concept.
YOU don’t talk this way to something nonexistent.
YOU don’t talk this way unless it is to something who is someone. It is personal.
- Dr. Larry Petton, When Lucifer Left Heaven