Does the devil have claws?
Answer: The devil can take many forms. When he tempted Adam and Eve, he was a serpent. But remember, Satan is an angel and once was an angel of light. So he probably doesn’t look like the funny costumes we see at Halloween (all red, with horns and a pitchfork).
Instead, the devil usually tries to look like something good and beautiful. Remember, Satan is the father of lies, so he is usually trying to trick us. He’ll say that we don’t deserve to be God’s children and that we are not forgiven. But always remember that God is much stronger than Satan (it’s not even a close contest), and God can keep us safe from Satan.
Key verse: Yet I am not surprised! Satan can change himself into an angel of light. (2 Corinthians 11:14) RELATED VERSES: Job 1:6-13; 2:1-7; Luke 11:4; John 8:44; James 4:7
Related questions: Can the devil hurt me? Is the devil more powerful than God?
Note to parents: When children hear about Satan, they may wonder if he can hurt them physically. Of course that’s possible, but Satan’s attacks are usually much more subtle and focused on keeping people far from God.
Usually, he tries to get us to center our life around anything but God and to ignore God’s commands. Explain to your child that God beats the devil every time and that we can beat Satan too (resist his temptations) if we stay close to God. This means doing what God says, relying on him, and talking to him about everything in our life.
Why is the devil after us?
Answer: Satan is God’s enemy, so he is against anyone who is on God’s side. Satan is jealous of our friendship with God – he can’t stand it when we spend time with the Lord. And he wants to stop us from obeying God and from doing good. The devil hates God, so he hates us because we love God.
Key verse: So give yourselves humbly to God. Resist the devil and he will run from you. (James 4:7) RELATED VERSES: Ephesians 6:11; 1 Peter 5:8-9; Revelation 12:9