OUR ENEMY THE DEVIL 

 

 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

   Every Christian has an enemy, although unseen by the natural eye.  This adversary is not imaginary nor a mythological character but satan, the devil, is a real person... He is a spirit being, with intelligence, tangible characteristics, and whose incessant goal and ambition is to “steal, kill, and destroy.” (John 10:10).
     The enemy is on the prowl, around the clock, seeking to cause mayhem and destruction to all believers and the work of Jesus Christ throughout the world.  The devil, with military-like strategy and ruthlessly hostility, aggressively searches for weaknesses in our faith and spiritual life, He is hoping to devour us with deception, temptation, or oppression. He is the personification of all that is evil and is the author of every despicable work.
    Regardless of whether you realize it or not, satan has targeted you as a victim. He knows your name, address, strengths and weaknesses. Somewhere in the shadows, he and his forces are lurking, waiting, and planning for the moment when he catching you off-guard. He desperately hopes that you will, as many Christians, remain ignorant of his  reality so that you’ll blame  his  assaults on somebody or something else.
    When Jesus gave His life on the cross as the sacrifice for the sins of the world, He also redeemed us from satan’s power and dominion over us. “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians. 2:15). “...For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). Praise God! Satan is already a defeated enemy! His legal authority was neutralized by the finished work of Jesus on the cross.
    Even though the devil is defeated, he will still do all he can to come against us. The devil hates God and what He stand for. He knows he can’t defeat Him so what does the devil do?  He comes against God’s children. God does give us power and authority through Jesus. “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19).
      We have the right to use the authority of the name of Jesus to repel and drive the devil out of our territory and to break his grip over spiritual strongholds (2 Corinthians. 10:4). The devil hates the name of Jesus and detests an atmosphere of praise and worship which exalts the name of Jesus. Christ said, “For where two or three are gathered together in  My name, I am  there in the midst  of  them” (Matthew 18:20). Be assured,  the  presence  of  Christ  will  expel the presence of satan.  Lifting up Jesus in praise  will  send  the devil running!
    The Bible tells us to not “give place” to the devil (Ephesians. 4:27). Provide no area of your life where satan can be comfortable or establish strongholds. The enemy can always be found working in those who entertain sin, disobedience, rebellion or a self-willed nature. Unforgiveness toward others is another area which satan flourishes (2 Corinthians 2:11). Furthermore, any area of your life which is not submitted to God is considered open territory to the devil, and he has the right to bring his expanding influence to those areas.
     This is why the scripture says, “...submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). The only way to actually resist satan is to submit yourself fully to God. This was what Jesus was referring to when He said, “...the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me” (John 14:30). Jesus had submitted Himself to God, and although the devil would try Him, there was nothing for the devil to use to gain an advantage.

     Rejoice Christian! God is in you, and you have been given power over the devil! By submitting to God, and exercising your authority in the name of Jesus, you are more powerful than the enemy. “...He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).