SATAN ON THE STEPS OF THE ALTAR

 

SATAN ON THE STEPS OF THE ALTAR

The altar, once a place of divine communion, a place of sacrifice and reverence, stood silently in the midst of the church, as it always had. Yet today, something was different. As the congregation gathered, their eyes fixed on the altar, there was an uneasy stillness, a heavy tension in the air. The steps leading up to the altar—worn by years of worship and prayer—were no longer just a pathway to holiness. There, at the foot of the altar, stood a presence, a figure too dark to fully comprehend, yet unmistakable in its intent. Satan had come.

It is often easy to believe that the places we hold sacred, the spaces we consider safe, are beyond the reach of evil. We build them with our prayers, our devotion, and our faith, and we often assume they are invulnerable to the corruption of the world. Yet Scripture reminds us time and time again that no place is immune from the forces of darkness. Even in the most holy of places, we are called to vigilance, for evil does not wait for an invitation—it seeks to corrupt, distort, and destroy.

In the book of Matthew, we see the subtlety of Satan’s tactics. He took Jesus to a very high mountain and offered him all the kingdoms of the world, tempting Him with a power that was not his to give. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." In this moment, we see the nature of temptation—its ability to appear as something desirable, something harmless. Satan doesn’t always come as a roaring beast, but often as a whisper, a thought, an enticing offer that seems too good to resist. And in the sacred spaces of our lives, such whispers are most dangerous. The altar is meant to be a place of offering, of surrender to God, but when evil is allowed to step on the very steps that lead to it, we begin to see the vulnerability of our devotion. What is meant for good, Satan will try to twist and claim for his own.

This is the constant battle. As Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world, and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. The altar, a place of spiritual ascent, now becomes the very threshold where the battle for our souls is waged. The steps we take toward holiness are never free from opposition. Every move toward the divine invites not only the presence of God but also the challenge of darkness, a challenge that seeks to tear us away from the very faith we seek to build.

In the quiet moments of the service, there was a growing sense of unease. The priest, standing before the altar, felt an unsettling weight in the air. He had been here many times before—he had performed the rituals, recited the prayers, and led the people in worship. But today, as his eyes lifted toward the altar, something felt different. The presence of evil was palpable, and he felt the trembling of his own heart. The steps that led up to the altar, once a symbol of spiritual ascent, now seemed like the steps of temptation, a place where his own faith could falter.

The battle for the soul is never fought alone. The presence of evil is a reminder that we, too, must remain watchful. 1 Peter 5:8 warns, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." This is the reality of our spiritual journey—the constant threat of darkness lurking, seeking to pull us from the path we walk with God. Even in places of worship, even in the midst of sacred rituals, Satan prowls, waiting for an opportunity to corrupt. The altar is not just a place of divine presence; it is a place where we are called to guard our hearts, to be vigilant against the enemy's devices.

And yet, while the presence of evil on the steps of the altar feels like an overwhelming weight, we are reminded of the victory already won. In Colossians 2:15, we are told that Jesus disarmed the powers and authorities, making a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. The very presence of Satan on those steps is a reminder that while he may still have influence in this world, he has been defeated at the cross. Christ’s triumph is our triumph. Satan’s power is broken. It is in the shadow of the cross that we stand, not in fear, but in victory.

The altar is not just a physical place; it is a spiritual space, one that requires us to offer more than just outward acts of worship. As Romans 12:1 calls us to, we are to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is the true essence of worship. It is not about what we do for God in the visible moments of our lives, but what we are willing to surrender, to lay down at the feet of the altar. When Satan stands at the steps, it is a challenge to the purity of that offering. Will we give ourselves fully to God, or will we allow the subtle temptations of darkness to pull us away?

This challenge, however, is not without hope. The altar remains a place of transformation, not because it is a structure of stone or wood, but because it is the place where our hearts meet the living God. It is where we offer our lives, broken and in need of grace, knowing that the victory has already been secured. Though Satan may attempt to defile it, he cannot take away the power of what it represents. For in the presence of evil, we find an invitation to rise above, to stand firm in the faith, and to draw closer to the One who has overcome the world, Jesus the Christ.

Satan’s presence on the steps is a reminder of the very real and constant temptation to stray from God’s path. It is a test of our faith, a test of our resolve. Will we remain vigilant in our devotion, or will we allow the influence of darkness to contaminate our sacred space? The altar, meant to be a place of surrender and holiness, becomes a battleground—a place where we must consciously choose to stand firm in our faith, resisting the enemy who would seek to lead us astray.

But even as Satan stands there, mocking and challenging our resolve, we remember the ultimate truth: that in Christ, victory has already been achieved. The enemy may try to defile the altar, but he cannot change its purpose. Jesus’ triumph over sin and death, as declared in Colossians 2:15, assures us that the power of evil has been defeated. The forces of darkness may rise, but they have no lasting hold. The altar remains the place where we offer our hearts and lives to God—not because we are perfect, but because, in Christ, we are made holy.

In the presence of evil, our faith is tested, but it is also purified. We are called not to retreat, but to stand firm, knowing that the altar is not just a place of sacrifice, but a place of spiritual warfare. The battle may be fierce, but we know that Christ has already won the war. And so, with each step we take toward the altar, we do not walk in fear, but with the assurance that we are held in the victory of Christ—no matter how great the temptation, no matter how strong the presence of evil.