In the garden, Adam and Eve enjoyed a perfect environment. It was idyllic perfection.  Adam had been given the earth to rule and all was well until they sinned.  At that moment, he gave up his God-conferred authority to Satan.  The enemy boasted of this to Jesus.  And he [Satan] said to him [Jesus], “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.  Luke 4:6  

I believe Satan had wanted it all along.  You might wonder what makes me say that.  Consider again with me his treasonous act in heaven.  He felt entitled to what belonged to God.  You know someone who feels entitled to what others have, don’t you?  It’s a heinous character trait.  Give them a sacrificial gift, and they’ll tell you that it’s about time!  In my twenties, I remember telling someone I was sorry for something.  I asked how long I would owe them.  The answer came back at me with an indignant puff of air.  “Forever, of course!”  They were serious.

When God expelled Satan and his fallen angels to the earth, it was a dead planet where nothing grew.  It was desolate and barren, Genesis says. But then, the Spirit of God hovered over the earth. Things changed. The landscape began to tremble with life.  What had been brown and lifeless turned green and lush.   Satan watched all this from just above the earth’s atmosphere.  Don’t you know he felt entitled to rule this pristine planet!

That is not the end of the story.  His authority was turned upside down when Jesus died and rose again.  Satan hopes we don’t know that and will continue to let him use his power – unchecked.  If no one contests it, he’ll act like he’s still got the final word.  

And [Jesus], having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.  Colossians 2:15