Recognizing and Defeating Your enemy: The Devil

1 Recognizing and DefeatingYour enemy : The Devil1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; be-cause your adversary the Devil walksabout like a roaring lion, seekingwhom he may devour. Every Christian has an enemy . Al-though unseen by the naturaleye, this adversary is not imagi-nary nor a mythological character. Sa-tan, the Devil , is a real a spiritbeing, with intelligence, tangible char-acteristics, and whose incessant goal andambition is to steal, kill, and de-stroy (John 10:10).Around the clock the enemy is on theprowl, seeking to cause mayhem and de-struction to all believers and the work ofJesus Christ throughout the world.

2 Withmilitary-like strategy and ruthless hos-tility, the Devil aggressively searches forweakness in our faith and spiritual life,hoping to devour us with deception,temptation, or oppression. He is the per-sonification of all that is evil and is theauthor of every despicable of whether you realize it,Satan has targeted you as a victim. Heknows your name and address, yourstrengths and weaknesses. Somewherein the shadows, he and his forces lurk,waiting, planing for the moment theywill strike when you re caught desperately hopes that you will, asdo many Christians, remain ignorant ofhis reality so that you ll blame his as-saults on somebody or something method of operation is almost al-ways undercover.

3 Subtly, he manipulateshindering circumstances and inspiresevil thoughts or temptations, disguisinghis activities behind the shroud of peopleor things. He will always seek to divertattention and blame for his actions uponothers. But make no mistake, he is thereal enemy , not your husband, wife, em-ployer, government or Christian breth-ren! For we do not wrestle againstflesh and blood, but against princi-palities, against powers, against therulers of the darkness of this age,against spiritual hosts of wicked-ness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).

4 Satan has no RightfulAuthority over BelieversThe good news is that, although theDevil is described like a roaring lion,in reality he has no actual authority overbelievers. He is not really a lion, but roarslike a lion would to bluff his victims intofear and intimidation. Satan is a liar anddeceiver and uses deception as hisweapon to gain advantage over those whoare ignorant of the limitations of Jesus gave his life on the crossas the sacrifice for the sins of the world,He also redeemed us from Satan s powerand dominion over us. Having dis-armed principalities and powers, Hemade a public spectacle of them, tri-umphing over them in it (Col.)

5 2:15)..For this purpose the Son of Godwas manifested, that He might de-stroy the works of the Devil (1 John3:8). Praise God! Satan is already a de-feated enemy ! His legal authority wasneutralized by the finished work ofChrist on the Believer hasAuthority over SatanSo if Satan is already defeated, whythen is he still able to cause trouble? Be-cause, even though Christ broke Satan slegal power, the Lord has left it up to usto enforce the Devil s defeated condi-tion. It s our responsibility to use the au-thority that Christ has given us to putSatan in his a believer, you need not fear Sa-tan, but realize and exercise the author-ity which God has given you over theDevil.

6 Every person whose name hasbeen recorded in the Lamb s Book of Life(all those who are saved) have been givenauthority over the power of the Devil . Behold, I give you the authority totrample on serpents and scorpions,and over all the power of the enemy ,and nothing shall by any meanshurt you (Luke 10:19).You have the right to use the author-ity of the name of Jesus to repel and driveSatan out of your territory and to breakhis grip over spiritual strongholds (2 :4). When you recognize Satan s activ-ity and covert operations, take author-ity over him in the name of Jesus!

7 Justas Jesus and the early apostles did, com-mand Satan to leave (Mark 16:17).The Devil hates the name of Jesus anddetests an atmosphere of praise and wor-ship which exalts the name of said, For where two or threeare gathered together in My name, Iam there in the midst of them (Matt. 18:20). Be assured, the presenceof Christ will expel the presence of Sa-tan. Lifting up Jesus in praise will sendthe Devil running!Slam the Door on the DevilThe name of Jesus will drive Satanaway. But it would be futile to orderSatan s departure if we leave the doorwide open for him to flourish.

8 The Bibletells us to not give place for the Devil (Eph. 4:27). That is, provide no area ofyour life where Satan can be comfortableor establish enemy can always be found work-ing in those who entertain sin, disobedi-ence, rebellion or a self-willed toward others is anotherarea which Satan flourishes (2 Cor. 2:11).Furthermore, any area of your life whichis not submitted to God is consideredopen territory to the Devil , and he hasthe right to bring his expanding influ-ence to those is why the scripture says, ..sub-mit to God. Resist the Devil and hewill flee from you (James 4:7).

9 Theonly way to actually resist Satan is tosubmit yourself fully to God. This waswhat Jesus was referring to when Hesaid, ..the ruler of this world is com-ing, and he has nothing in Me (John 14:30). Jesus had submitted him-self to God, and although the Devil wouldtry Him, there was nothing for the Devilto use to gain an Christian! God is in you, andYOU have been given power over theDevil! By submitting to God, and exer-cising your authority in the name ofJesus, you are more powerful than theenemy..He who is in you is greaterthan he who is in the world (1 John4:4).

10 VL-134 Unless otherwise stated, all scripture references were taken fromThe New King James Bible, Thomas Nelson Inc., 1982. Dale A. Robbins, 1990 Victorious Publications, Grass Valley, Dr. Dale A. RobbinsRecognizing andDefeating your enemy :The Devil !