There is a war going on and a lot of Christians are just simply not engaged in the fight. The Bible has a lot to say about this. Ephesians 6:10 teaches us, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” Picture this, the devil is at the drawing board trying to come up with a way to trip you up, or mess you up, or destroy your life (John 10:10). Sometimes I think the devil is working harder to destroy us than we are working to keep it from happening.
What are we to do? How do we face this? “Put on every piece of God’s armor (you are in a battle and you need to dress for it) so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. (This is not “if “ the day or the time comes but “when” it comes) Then after the battle you will still be standing firm” (Ephesians 6:10-13 NLT). Today. I'm going to expose the devil for who he is.
First of all I want you to know the devil is real. He’s a fallen angel. The Bible actually names only three angels in scripture, Gabriel, Michael, and Lucifer. An event took place in heaven and Lucifer (Satan) fell or was cast out of heaven and he roams the earth.
The second thing you need to know is the devil is at war with us. He is strategically looking for a way to destroy us and he is working on it right now. The best gift I can give you is the awareness of this battle, not to scare you but to help you. 1 Peter 5:8-9 tells us he is waiting like a lion. Lions prowl and wait and if they don’t get you the first time they’ll say, “OK, I’ll get you the next time.”
Third, I want you to know that the devil has power. A Christian can suffer greatly at the devil’s hands if he or she is not prepared and doesn't know their authority in Christ. We must stop those things (unforgiveness, gossip, disobedience, etc.) that allow the devil a foothold in our lives. We have a lot to do with the enemy and how successful he is in his harassment of us.
But Good News! The devil is subject to our God. Anytime you align yourself with God, you become just as victorious as God. That is why the Bible says you have overcome. You are an overcomer ‘because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world” (1 John 4:4 NLT).
I actually think a lot of what’s going on in the world right now is spiritual. The Bible says we are in a fight. “We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4 NLT). So, what are our weapons and how do we use them?
Names have power. Cancer is a powerful name. Depression is too. But Jesus’ name prevails. “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth “ (Philippians 2:9-10 NLT). Just say His name, in every situation. Disease seems powerful and anxiety can seem devastating. But call on the name of Jesus, as the name that’s above every other name. The devil has to line up at the name of Jesus.
Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than any two-edged sword.” God’s word is the only offensive weapon listed in the armor of God. Ephesians 6 continues, “Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness…and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:14-17 NLT). The Bible is not just something you read to get a nice little thought in the morning. It is a weapon. Treat it like one, write it down, quote it, make it first person, apply it directly to your life.
- The power of the cross
Jesus died to save us from our sins. But He also did work between his death on Friday and His resurrection on Sunday. He confronted our enemy once and for all. Jesus snatched the keys of death, hell and the grave. He took control of our eternal destiny back from the devil’s hands (Revelation 1:18 NLT). Jesus holds your ultimate future. He has won and therefore you have won.
Revelation 12:11 says “And they (the church) have defeated him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.” I was going to hell and I was going to have to pay for my own sins (as if I could) but my Jesus bled and died on the cross so that I would never have to do it. He healed me. I was insecure and He redeemed my life. He transformed me and crowned me with love and compassion and blessed me with favor. This is my testimony and nothing can separate me from the love of Christ. What is your testimony? Rehearse it. Remind yourself of it. Tell people about it.
You may be going through something right now and you may be in a fight for your life, but no matter what you face, “despite all these things, overwhelming victory is [yours] through Christ, who loved [you]” (Romans 8:37 NLT). You are more than a conqueror.
