Satan is in control of this present world system. Paul in 2 Cor. 4:4 refers to him as, "The god of this world." When God created the world, it belonged to Him because He created it. When God created man and placed him on the earth, He gave the earth to man and said to Adam, "Have dominion" When Adam sinned he forfeited the earth over to Satan, who has ruled over the earth ever since. Jesus came to redeem the earth back to God. The price of redemption was His death, represented by His shed blood. ... Notice that Jesus did not challenge Satan's claim to the world. In fact He later refers to him as the god of this world. From tape 5176