Greetings in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ! Welcome as we reflect on the words of life, which are the true nourishment for our souls.
Today, let us consider an important truth about how Satan operates when he gains access to a person. In the Bible, Judas Iscariot is the first individual clearly recorded as being entered by Satan:
Luke 22:3–4
“Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.”
As soon as Satan entered Judas, he implanted a new heart within him—a heart of betrayal that Judas himself did not naturally possess. This evil heart overpowered all love, loyalty, and reason.
John 13:1–2
“…having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.”
When Satan plants such a heart in a person, all natural affection disappears. One no longer cares if the victim is a brother, mother, friend, or even an innocent person. That heart only seeks to betray, destroy, and kill (John 10:10). It is no longer the person’s original heart at work but the rebellious heart of Satan himself.
This is what happened to Judas. Even though Jesus loved him deeply—trusting him with the group’s finances and sharing intimate fellowship with him—Judas still turned against Him, betraying Him with a kiss (Luke 22:47–48). The psalmist foresaw this:
Psalm 41:9
“Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.”
Later, when Satan left Judas, remorse filled his soul, and he ended up taking his own life (Matthew 27:3–5). This shows that the evil heart was not truly his own; it was implanted by the devil for a season.
Similarly, in the last days, the Antichrist will be empowered by the same satanic heart, carrying out mass slaughter against all who refuse the mark of the beast:
Revelation 16:13–14
“Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.”
Even today, we see acts of unspeakable cruelty—mass killings, human sacrifices, and betrayals of loved ones. These are not simply human decisions; they are the result of people who have opened doors for Satan, allowing him to implant foreign, unfeeling hearts within them. And just like Judas, many of these people are eventually left in deep regret when Satan abandons them.
This also explains why sexual sin can reach shocking extremes—adultery, fornication, bestiality, and same-sex immorality. When the devil implants his heart in a person, they lose all sense of shame or fear of God (Romans 1:24–28). In the end, such sins only lead to ruin and bitter regret.
Remember: Judas was personally chosen by Jesus to be one of the Twelve apostles, yet he fell because of a seemingly “small” sin—stealing from the money bag (John 12:6). This should teach us that even “little sins” can give Satan a foothold (Ephesians 4:27), leading to greater destruction.
Let us take this as a warning. Salvation is not a casual thing; we must mean it with all our hearts. The enemy cannot be resisted by our own strength once we have given him a place in our lives. But if we truly abide in Christ and walk in His Spirit, we will overcome (James 4:7; Galatians 5:16).
Have you given your life to Jesus? Has He washed away your sins by His precious blood (1 John 1:7)? If not, what are you waiting for? We are living in the last days, and Satan knows his time is short:
Revelation 12:12
“…But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”
This is the hour to wake up from spiritual sleep (Romans 13:11–12), repent wholeheartedly, and turn to Christ. Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins (Acts 2:38), and He will fill you with His Holy Spirit—the One who will guard and guide you into all truth (John 16:13).
May the Lord strengthen us all on this journey of salvation.