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Do Catholics believe that God is actively "fighting" Satan? Or do they believe that Satan is a "tempter" who only tries to corrupt humans?

I vaguely recall stories from the Old Testament when God fought Satan directly, but I wasn't sure if Catholics believed that God was still actively fighting Satan.

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  • Is that a difference? How do you imagine this fight looks like?
    – kutschkem
    Commented Dec 21, 2014 at 6:42
  • Perhaps the options you give are a bit restricted: fight "directly" or "only a tempter". Have you considered God fighting through his Church, or the Devil using other weapons? (see this from Pope Francis).
    – Pedro Pablo
    Commented Dec 21, 2014 at 16:27
  • @PedroPablo: Sounds like the makings of an answer.
    – Jim G.
    Commented Dec 21, 2014 at 16:46
  • @JimG.: you're right it could be the beginning of an answer, but not to a restricted question. Please understand it's easier to answer questions like "what sorts of ice cream do Catholics like?" than others like "do Catholics like stracciatella ice cream, or do they abhor ice cream?".
    – Pedro Pablo
    Commented Dec 21, 2014 at 18:24

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God through Jesus Christ or God-made-man Jesus Christ is the devil's conqueror

CCC 539 The evangelists indicate the salvific meaning of this mysterious event: Jesus is the new Adam who remained faithful just where the first Adam had given in to temptation. Jesus fulfills Israel's vocation perfectly: in contrast to those who had once provoked God during forty years in the desert, Christ reveals himself as God's Servant, totally obedient to the divine will. In this, Jesus is the devil's conqueror: he "binds the strong man" to take back his plunder.1 Jesus' victory over the tempter in the desert anticipates victory at the Passion, the supreme act of obedience of his filial love for the Father.

1. Cf. Ps 95:10; Mk 3:27

The LORD achieves his definitive victory when he come again. Until then, the war and its battles continue

CCC 2853 Victory over the "prince of this world"2 was won once for all at the Hour when Jesus freely gave himself up to death to give us his life. This is the judgment of this world, and the prince of this world is "cast out."3 "He pursued the woman"4 but had no hold on her: the new Eve, "full of grace" of the Holy Spirit, is preserved from sin and the corruption of death (the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of the Most Holy Mother of God, Mary, ever virgin). "Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring."5 Therefore the Spirit and the Church pray: "Come, Lord Jesus,"6 since his coming will deliver us from the Evil One.

2. Jn 14:30.
3. Jn 12:31; Rev 12:10.
4. Rev 12:13-16.
5. Rev 12:17.
6. Rev 22:17,20.

Please see also CCC 677.

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