Today we're going to examine the Devil. How he works. Who he attacks. Why he attacks. Most importantly--how to defeat him. I have learned in my own life the power of Satan. He wants to kill you and absolutely wreck your testimony. If you're unsaved, it's worse: he wants to take your soul by keeping you from Jesus Christ's gift of eternal life. I beseech you in Jesus' name, if you're unsaved and reading this: don't be subject to him. Read on and defeat him.
NOTE: This post is not recommended for the young or lighthearted Christian. The concepts outlined in this post may frighten those that are not used to talking or reading about the Devil. If you feel led or feel that you can handle what God has to say about the Devil, read on.
Who is "the Devil"?
The Devil put shortly is a fallen angel (Isaiah 14:12). In attempt to take glory from God, he tried to take His position. It failed miserably and he was cast out of heaven. It's also obvious from other Scriptures that other angels have followed the Devil either at that same time or later (examples include Matthew 4:24, Matthew 8:28, Matthew 9:32, Mark 5:9-15, Luke 8:30) to do his bidding.
The Devil is also this ruler of this world. He is described as "the prince of the power of air" (Ephesians 2:3). He controls this world (2 Cor 4:4) and is the leader of all that is evil and wicked. Whenever Scripture talks about God vs. the world...it's God vs. Satan. Satan hates God and seeks His place. Therefore, if you're a Christian, be warned that the world in which you live considers you an enemy. Don't this scare you however, Jesus Himself said (John 16:33b), "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
For those who say "The Devil doesn't exist! He's just a symbol in the Bible." That only shows you've been deceived by him (Christian or not). You can be prideful and say that the Devil can't deceive you because he doesn't exist, but indeed he can (and is if you believe that). He is real. How do I know that? Several reasons.
Jesus was tempted of the Devil (Matthew 4:1-11). If the Devil isn't real, then who was Jesus talking to? Himself? Well that doesn't work because that would mean Jesus was tempting Himself to sin--which is something God can't do (see James 1:13).
Same problem with Job 1:6-12 and Job 2:1-7. In those passages Yaweh is actively having a conversation with Satan. Same question as before: if the Devil isn't real then who is God talking to? Again it makes no sense that He's talking to Himself--that would mean that God told Himself to go attack Job. And further that would require one to assume that God is talking to God--aka the words "LORD" and "Satan" mean the same thing in that passage. Not only is that heresy but it is not possible (even by your own claims that "the devil" means all that is evil--God has nothing to do with evil so it is not possible for the words to mean God).
If the Devil isn't real, then who is being referred to in Isaiah 14:12? The only explanation is either God or an angel. God didn't sin (for reasons so obviously I don't need Scripture references)--so that leaves an angel. The Devil is real--and he would love to have you think he's not real. It gives him a cloak to deceive you from which you will not be able to withstand.
Further, if the Devil isn't a real person, such passages as 1 Peter 5:8 make no sense. Why would be told to be careful to watch for the Devil if he doesn't exist? "Well that passage is saying watch out for evil. The Devil is symbolic of evil and our fleshly desires."
That response makes no sense grammatically. As we'll see later, "the devil" referred to in that passage is a being that seeks to devour. It is something that is described as roaming around. If it moves around going from person to person "...seeking whom he may devour..." (1 Peter 5:8b), then how can it be your sinful nature? Or just pure evil? Your whole contention is that "the devil" is a non-living being, so how it could it be something that (as we'll see) actively, consciously plans the destruction of people? It doesn't make sense because it's not true.
"Well I'm not a Christian!" you say. "I'm glad of it too--who would want to be on this 'Devil's' bad side?" That would be true except for the fact that the Devil seeks to destroy anyone--just read on.
What does the Devil want?
The Devil has several purposes in mind or reasons he does what he does. What are they? What is Satan trying to accomplish?
The first and foremost goal of the Devil is to steal glory from God. The Devil fell from heaven because he wanted to take God's position (Isaiah 14:13)--which is one of glory. A second purpose of Satan is to destroy anyone he can (1 Peter 5:8). Notice the picture cast of the Devil in 1 Peter 5:8: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" The Devil is likened to a roaring lion--nothing could be more true. He comes in, screams--causing mayhem to instill terror in everyone around. Then he devours people. The Greek word for "devour" ("καταπίνω") means, "to drink down, i.e. gulp entire (literally or figuratively):--devour, drown, swallow (up)." Satan wants to entirely destroy you. Every last atom of your being he wants burning in hell, or--if you're a Christian--dead.
The other thing to notice about the Devil is how he goes after you (or anyone). He seeks you 1 Peter 5:8 says. "Seek" doesn't do justice to the idea God expresses there. The Greek word for "seeks" ("ζητέω") means, "of uncertain affinity; to seek (literally or figuratively); specially, (by Hebraism) to worship (God), or (in a bad sense) to plot (against life):--be (go) about, desire, endeavour, enquire (for), require, (X will) seek (after, for, means)." We know the Devil isn't worshipping God so that leaves the "in the bad sense" definition: "to plot (against life)." The Devil isn't just wandering around wondering who he will grab, he is actively planning against people. He wants people destroyed--and he has a plan to accomplish that. The Devil has the appearance in today's society of being this crazy being that randomly destroys people (perhaps as if he were insane). Also, in the Bible, devils are most usually beings that throw people into convulsions--therefore we assume the Devil must be the same way. It's not true. The Devil is a master planner that has a certain way and plan to accomplish his goals. He has had 6500 years to learn how to manipulate people, trick people, deceive people, and kill people. 6500 years! Think about that. There is a being (who's primary purpose is to kill you) who's had 6500 (six-thousand five-hundred) years to learn how to do it. Not only how to do it, but how to do it well. Satan mislead David (1 Chronicles 21:1, 2 Samuel 24:1) and Peter (Matthew 16:23) for example. Peter! The person described as a rock by Jesus (Matthew 16:18). David! The King of Israel who was described as a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:13-14)! If Satan can deceive them you can bet he can and will deceive you. Now for the Christian this is a warning to be sober and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8) and be prepared to face the Devil in the strength of הוה' at any moment....but for the unbeliever this is a warning of the extreme danger you are in right now. Without Christ you are defenseless from the Devil--yes you read that right: defenseless. You can let your pride get in the way and say "no stupid devil is getting on me!" but that's just a sign he already has. The Devil is a master at what he does--and if you assume he doesn't exist or that he won't come after specifically you then you are a very foolish individual. Without Christ you have not the tools to protect yourself from the Devil.
So the Devil wants to take glory from God and to harm you. Is there anything else he wants? There is one more thing: he wants to thwart God's Will for you, your life, this world, and anything that relates to God. That may seem like it follows under the other two points, but really it's a separate idea. Satan wants to kill you, deny God glory, and destroy anything that has to do with God. The "destroy anything that has to with God" is the separate idea. Take Jesus for example. The Devil tempted Him while He was out in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). When the Devil tempted Jesus, he tried to get Jesus to worship Him or do something outside God's Will. He didn't try to kill Jesus (because he knew he couldn't), but tried to get Him to deny the Father and do his bidding.
So what have we learned about the Devil so far? The Devil's primary goals are:
1. Steal glory from Yahovah God
2. Destroy you
3. Thwart God's will for you, this world, and anything concerning God
Satan is powerful and has accomplished these things before--though he has not totally ever won the victory. God is still in absolute control of this world (Psalm 103:19). He is the only one to deaf Satan.
How does the Devil operate?
So knowing the Devil and what he wants--what are his tools to accomplish his goals? The following are the tactics Satan uses to accomplish his three goals above.
1. Temptation
The Devil tempts you. He likes to present you with the desires of your flesh and let you consume it until it consumes you and destroys you. The Devil tempts you in two different ways: tempting your desires and the weakness of your flesh and by tempting you to give up on God.
A. Weaknesses of the Flesh
The Devil wants to weaken you by laying right in front of you the things you know you shouldn't partake of. Example: you may like chocolate. While it's a good substance in moderation--many people can attest to the bad effects of over-consuming it. Instead of playing around with that pathetic example as most people who write about temptation do, I will give some different examples.
You may have a propensity to be a jerk. You can be tempted to be absolutely terrible to someone. To swear at them, insult them, and degrade them. That's a temptation. But take something different. You may be tempted to flirt. To smile a certain way at someone--incite them to come talk to you. "But I'm just being nice!" I'm sure King David thought the same thing.
Perhaps you are tempted to be slothful, waste time, not get your work done. That's a temptation. Satan whispers, "...You don't have to do it now...Do it later...You're too tired...It's a weekend..." It's the Devil.
Now for the last example of procrsatination, don't confuse it with God telling you to wait. There are times God tells you to wait on Him or to hold back. It's Satan when you should move ahead, know it, and don't. It's God when you want to move ahead and He says not to (and you know it).
B. Give Up on God
The Devil would absolutely love it if you abandoned God. Tell Him, "That's it! I quit!" Don't. Listen closely: anything that says to give up on God is absolutely, completely, and totally of the the arch-enemy of God Almighty: the Devil Himself. Satan. The Accuser, the Deceiver. Do not ever give up on God.
This is not to say that you are evil if you are tempted to abandon God. Jesus was (Matthew 4:8-9)! The temptation is not the failure--following through is the failure. Never give up on God. God is faithful and if you are tempted to give up on Him it's usually because Satan is throwing out his biggest guns before God answers. Don't miss God's answers because you are pressured by the Devil.
2. Deception
The second tool of Satan is deception. Jesus titled the Devil that when he said (John 8:44), "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." The Devil is not only a liar, but the Father of all lies. Why? Think about it: the first lie ever told was told by the Devil (Genesis 3:4-6).
A. Lies
The Devil uses lies to trick us and manipulate us. The perfect example is above, in Genesis 3.
Little background: God had just created everything. It was beautiful and "very good" (Genesis 1:31). God then created man (Genesis 2:7) and then women (Genesis 2:18-24). With all of this perfectness, He gave one command (Genesis 2:16-17), "16And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." There was a tree that would give a person the knowledge of good and evil--destroy the innocence of any of who ate of it. Only Omnipotence could possess such knowledge and keep from indulging in the sinful side of it. At first Adam and Eve obeyed. They didn't eat of it. But then...the Devil arrives on the scene.
The Devil proceeds to lie to Eve about what God had said. Notice Eve's conversation with the Devil (Genesis 3:1-6): "1Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."
Satan plays a word game with Eve. "Didn't God say you could eat of any of the trees of the Garden?" Eve replies, "Yes, but excluding this one. He said not to eat that one because the day we do we'll surely die." And then comes the deception. Satan says, "You won't die! God doesn't want you to have it because you will become like Him." And there lies the deception...Eve looks at the fruit and (in my mind) follows a three-step, progressively worse mindset. First she thinks, "It's perfectly good food." and then "It looks good..." she and finally, "It probably will make me more like God!" She then eats it and condemns the entire human race to sin and evil for the rest of history (until Christ's return). The power of deception is absolutely magnificent in the consequences it can cause.
So two things made the apple wrong to eat of: the knowledge in it man had not the power to control and more importantly (regardless of the reason) they were ordered not to eat of it by God (Genesis 2:16-17).
The other thing to notice about Satan's lies is how subtle they can be. Consider this article for example: http://www.cogwriter.com/birthdays.htm
It's very thought provoking on a subject you would not expect.
B. Manipulation
Satan is a master manipulator. How do I know this? In 1 Peter 5:8 (as we discussed above), we learned the Devil has a specific plan in mind in how he goes after a person. There's another word for planning things out deceptively so as to achieve your own goals: Manipulation. Satan may have the waitress say something cold to you, or have your boss get angry with you for no reason, or just give you yourself a hard time. All these things are the Devil's attempts to get you out of the will of God and into your own desires.
I will provide an example from my own life. I was chatting with an atheist friend of mine who was more open to talking about God (at the time) then I ever thought possible. As I was chatting with that person I was also chatting with a different atheist friend of mine. As I was talking to atheist #1, I noticed that atheist #2 randomly started asking me all these questions about God (in an insulting, "Well why would God let this happen..." kind of way) that required long answers. God shot me right in the mind and said "Don't talk to that person [atheist #2]--they are trying to distract you from who I want you to talk to [atheist #1]." Without saying anything I logged out of chat with that person and finished my conversation with atheist #1. Nothing has resulted of that conversation--yet.
The Devil was actively trying to distract me from sharing my testimony with my atheist friend. Fiend that he is! He wanted to halt my testimony with useless distractions and damn my friend to hell. That's who the Devil is--a destroyer.
3. Satanic Attacks
Another way the Devil comes after you is through a direct attack upon you, your health, your family, your relationships, your finances, your testimony, your faith, your work for Yahovah, your thinking/mind, your attitudes, your emotions, your walk with God, your prayer, your reading of God's Word...the list can go on and on. Basically it comes down to if you're a Christian the Devil can attack every part of your life except your salvation--if you're aren't a believer then you can be attacked anywhere at anytime in anyway and you won't even know it.
How does the Devil attack you? There are many ways the Devil attacks you, but some stand out as very prominent and ones Satan uses over and over. Before we look at them, however, remember that all of these aren't random. They aren't just some blast of evil all of a sudden. They are willful, planned, crafted plans of Satan--a Satanic attack will not be "The Devil makes people tired."It will be "The Devil makes you tired." He crafts his plans specifically to you (or whomever he is attacking) based on your weaknesses, faults, fears, etc.. With that in mind, let's consider the following common ways Satan attacks people.
A. Sickness
The Devil all throughout history has used sickness and illness to attempt to thwart God's plan for the world, people, and their lives. Before I discuss it, it is important to realize something about sickness: it is not of God. How do I know this? Isaiah 53:4 says, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." Jesus specifically came with the purpose of healing in mind.
"But wait," you say. "That verse says he bore our grief--not sickness." Actually not. The Hebrew word for "grief" ("חֹ֫לִי") means, "malady, anxiety, calamity -- disease, grief, (is) sick(-ness)." The word means sickness. "But that verse is talking about bearing the sickness of our sinful nature--not being physically sick." I believed this myself for sometime until I came across this passage:
Matthew 8:16-17, "16When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: 17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."
"Esaias" is Greek word for "Isaiah". Jesus didn't fulfill that prophecy by dying on the Cross--He fulfilled it by healing people physically. Further, in the Old Testament, God is attributed the name "Yahovah Rapha" in Exodus 15:26. That name literally means, "God the Healer". A name is something you intrinsically are. Yahovah means "I AM" (that's why we heard God referred to as "The Great I AM"). So the name there is "I AM Healer". God is a healer, that's one of His purposes in redeeming us and one of His attributes. We can also see this in Psalm 103:2-4, "2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;" David says one of the benefits of Yahovah as his God was healing.
With all that being understood--that sickness is not of God, but rather something He came to defeat--we can examine how Satan uses it against us as a weapon.
The Devil uses sickness to try and make you doubt God's nature as Yahovah Rapha. The Devil wants you to think thoughts like, "I can't be healed of this, it's too serious of a disease." or "God doesn't heal--where does He say He does in the Bible?" or "You're too sinful...God won't heal you." or just plain "God doesn't want to heal you."
All of these are lies. The Devil wants you to believe that so that you will turn away from God (aka to him, the Devil) and follow his will for you--your destruction. If he can get you to not trust in God's healing power, he can get you to worry. If he can get you to worry, he can make your sickness worse. I've seen it happen.
Look at Job. He was allowed to become sick, but notice that the Devil sent the sickness upon him--not God (Job 2:7). The Devil was the one to bring health attacks upon Job. Why did the Devil do that? To make Job leave God! The Devil says that verbatim in Job 2:3-5:
"3And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. 4And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. 5But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face."
Satan told Yaweh that if He attacked Job's body, Job would curse Him to His face. Satan wanted Job to leave God and join him. That's always the Devil's purpose: to make you leave God (and therefore by definition join him). Don't do it. Sickness will bring you down to your knees, but you have to be willing to say, "I will die before I give up on God." You have to be willing to say that.
B. Fear/Doubt
The most powerful tool of Satan (in my opinion) is Fear. Satan loves to make you fear. Fear captivates you, controls you, and can destroy you. Fear drove Adam and Eve to hide from God (Genesis 3:7-10)! Hide! How foolish a response to God's presence! Fear can cause people (even believers) to make very wrong decisions that keep us from God and His best for us.
Dr. Charles F. Stanley (Th.M, Th.D) calls fear a landmine in the path of the believer--because of it's destructive nature. The Devil loves to use fear because of it's paralytic nature. To grasp an image of what fear looks like picture you sleeping in your house--it's 4am. You hear a crash downstairs. "Someone is in the house." you think. What do you do? You freeze. Just listening. Your mind racing at a hundred miles an hour: "Where is he...What's he doing...Does he have a gun...Where's the phone...Will he hear me..." You are filled with terror and your mind just keeps assuming the next problem or negative thing about the situation.
That's fear. The Devil loves to incite fear. In fact, one particular object of fear I think the Devil uses a lot is one that is obvious, but you don't think about: himself.
Sometimes you will be sitting there, and the thought hits you: "Is the Devil watching me?" Then you think, "Oh my word there might be a demon in here! What if it gets me!?" There is this terrifying fear that a devil is in the room and might get you. Also subconsciously is this fear that God might not protect you from it--because by fearing it you're assuming that God might somehow not be able to protect you.
Two things to remember. First, if you're a true Christian you have nothing to fear. The devil cannot enter into you because GOD is there (the Holy Spirit more specifically, see Ephesians 1:13-14). Second, you can cast the devil out! The apostles were Christians just like you and me. Cast the Devil out in Jesus' name (for he is subject to it, see Philippians 2:9-10, Luke 4:49-50--which both show that Jesus' name is used and see Mark 1:34 which shows that Jesus has power to cast out devils and since He lives inside of you, it follows He can give you power to as well).
The Devil also uses fear of God I believe as well. Fear that God is this Mighty Judge that will destroy you because of your sinfulness--this is simply not true. God loves you and wants to save you. Further, if you're a Christian, He is your FATHER. You will be repaid for your deeds in this life, but it's nothing to fear--your life in Heaven is sealed (Ephesians 1:13-14). If you're not a Christian, God is a mighty judge--but you chose to refuse Him. You're condemning yourself.
"I didn't reject Jesus. I've never said that." You do by not accepting Him. Jesus said (Luke 11:23), "He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth." (see also Matthew 12:30). If you're not for Jesus you're automatically against Him. It's just how it works.
The Devil should scare you if you're a non-Christian. He could be in you right now and you don't know it. He could be all around you. And he hates what you're reading. Anything saying "Stop reading." is Satan. Remember that.
C. Slothfulness
The Devil also uses laziness to accomplish his goals. The Devil wants you to not be motivated. Be tired. Not want to do the work. I've also noticed that the more important something is to get to done, the more the Devil incites you not to do it. "It's too big of a task," he says. "Do it later....you're tired right now....it's not important....don't worry about it...I'm sure someone else will finish it...." It's all the Devil.
Don't misunderstand me, however. I'm not saying that anything that says you're tired is evil. God many times will tell us to back down because we're running ahead of Him, or we're pushing so hard that we're harming our own bodies. But be honest with yourself--you know when you're being lazy and when you need to take a rest. You know the difference. One says "I can but I don't feel like it." the other says "You're going to hurt yourself." It's obvious how to tell the difference. It is wothwhile to note that there are many many passages warning about slothfulness (Proverbs 21:25, Proverbs 24:29-31, Proverbs 26:13, Ecclesiastes 10:18 to name a few). You are commanded by God to not be slothful (Matthew 15:13-27 [emphasis on vs. 26], Romans 12:10-11, Hebrews 6:11-12).
Don't give into thoughts that say, "I can't." Obey the One that says, "Go in My power."
D. Accusation
Now we come to the name of the Devil--the Accuser of the Brethren (see Revelation 12:7-12). The Devil accuses everyone about everything. Thoughts like, "You're too sinful. God can't save you!" and "You're a liar/jerk/evil person. God doesn't want you--you're disgusting!" and "Everyone hates you." all come from the Devil.
Some statements that can (but sometimes aren't) from the Devil include: "You're not saved. You just lied to that person. The Bible says the person who sins isn't saved." If you truly doubt your salvation, read the entire book of First John. It contains a series of tests to see if one is a Christian or not. Bare in mind when you run across verses in that Book that say, "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him." (1 John 3:6) remember it means habitually sinning. Every Christian sins, but one who's life is characteristic of sin has the potential of never having been saved.
If you were like me, you might ask, "How can I know?? I mean sometimes when we accuse people it's justified--how can I tell the difference?" Inside that question is its answer. When it's justified, it is of God. The Devil hates anything related to God, therefore the Devil is never going to help God achieve anything good--i.e. justice. In light of that, you can rest assured if the accusation is justified on Biblical grounds it is most definitely of God and most definitely not of the Devil. Remember that God and the Devil are polar opposites.
As for telling when an accusation is of Satan, just think about the converse of what was just said. The Devil's accusations are unfounded and seek to divide and destroy relationships, lives, and also seek to waste time. If the accusation is of that nature, there is a good bet it is not of God. Ultimately you will have to pray and seek Yeshua to find out whether you should accuse someone of something.
E. Anger
This one may surprise you, but indeed the Devil loves to instill anger in people. Would you not agree that the worst situations are ones where people become angry? Anger acts as gasoline on a flame--it only makes the argument grow larger and more intense. Sometimes it erupts into violence. That certainly isn't of God! Anger that seeks to cause harm or results in worthless badgering isn't of God.
Do not misunderstand, however. There is an anger of God. A righteous anger. An anger that says, "Not on my watch!" That anger is not only of God, but quite pleasant to experience. It's akin to energy and not so much anger.
There is a fine line between Godly anger and Satanic anger. Consider Ephesians 4:26-27:
"26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27Neither give place to the devil."
God Himself says that you can be angry--but to be careful not to let it become a tool for Satan. If your anger is leading you to be unkind--it is not of God. If you anger is leading you to lash out against sin in your life--it is of God. If your anger says, "I want to kill someone!" it is not of God. If your anger says, "I will die before I let you through to my family, Devil!" it is of God. See the pattern? It's very amazing to experience. The anger of God makes you want to grab a spear and scream, "FOR HIS KINGDOM!" The anger of Satan doesn't even reach intelligible speech. It's carnal, dirty, and self-destructive. It wants you to burn up inside. That's Satanic anger. Watch for it.
How to Defeat the Devil
Finally we come to it. In light of who Satan is, his motives, and his methods, how do we defeat him? The answer is we don't. You can't do diddly against the Devil. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can defeat him and his minions. So remember that as the first rule: you cannot defeat the Devil yourself--only Yeshua can. How do I know that you can't defeat the Devil by your own strength? Well, look at the last group of people who thought they could:
Acts 19:13-17
"13Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified."
These Jews (Jew =/= Christian) tried to use Jesus' name to cast out the demons. But the demons said, "Who are you?" as if to say, "You're not a Christian! Jesus is not inside of you. Don't act like you have any authority with that name." The Jews thought they could just cast the devil out by their own power--and look what happened to them.
In light of the first requirement, let's examine what the Bible has to say about defeating the Devil.
1. Be Sober and Vigilant
1 Peter 5:8-10
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 10But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you."
Peter says we must be Sober and Vigilant. What does that mean? The Greek word for "sober" ("νήφω") means, "to abstain from wine (keep sober), i.e. (figuratively) be discreet:--be sober, watch." You must expect the Devil to attack you--especially if you're about to do something major for Yeshua. You need to watch for him. He's there. You know he's there. Watch for his deception and his workings. You need to be sober! Serious. Watchful. An armed guard ready to battle for the Kingdom at any moment.
The Greek word for "vigilant" ("γρηγορέω") means, "to keep awake, i.e. watch (literally or figuratively):--be vigilant, wake, (be) watch(ful)." So God says to defeat the Devil you must watch for him and what?--never STOP watching for him. You must continually be on your guard watching for the Devil and his schemes, minions, and attacks.
Notice what else the passage says. God says, "Whom resist steadfast in the faith,". "Whom" refers to the Devil. So the next thing to remember is that you need to resist the Devil. The Greek word ("ἀνθίστημι") means, "to stand against, i.e. oppose:--resist, withstand." You must RESIST the Devil--not fight him. Nowhere in the Bible does God call YOU to go ATTACK the Devil. God always says to RESIST the Devil. Big difference.
The final thing to realize about this passage is verse 10: "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." God says, "Don't worry. After this goes on for a short while, I will end it." You can have assurance that the attack by Satan will end.
2. Put on the Full Armor of God
This point comes from a very familiar passage of Scripture.
Ephesians 6:10-20
"10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."
First notice the reason for this armor: "that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Ephesians 6:11b). The word "wiles" ("μεθοδεία") means, "travelling over, i.e. Travesty (trickery) -- wile, lie in wait." Again we see this pattern of the Devil lying in wait--planning and conniving on how to destroy you. Notice that verses 11,13, and the first word of 14 show that the purpose of this armor is not to fight but to stand. You are not running an offensive on the Devil, you are standing against him until he flees (see James 4:7). What does God give you to stand against the Devil? I'm just going to give them to you quickly since I have covered these points in depth in an earlier post. You must take:
The Belt of Truth--reject all falsehood. The Breastplate of Righteousness--do not give in to the temptation to do evil. The Shoes of the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace--walk around with the intent to spread peace wherever you go. The Shield of Faith--"ye believe in God, believe also in Me" (John 14:1). God will deliver you, you just have to have faith and patience that He will. The Helment of Salvation--do not let the Devil deceive you of your position as a Child of God. Resist evil thoughts. And finally the Sword of the Spirit (Word of God)--read it and use it to defend yourself. It's what Jesus did (Matthew 4:1-11).
If you wish to read my longer discussion on these tools of God, see point number 5 under "How to Defeat Depression" in my blogpost entitled "Depression is of the DEVIL."
The point of all this armor is to stand. To resist. Remember what James wrote in James 4:7, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Conclusion
I don't think anymore is necessary to be said about the Devil. If you are a Christian--you are the victor because Christ is the Victor.
One sad soul, however, cries out, "But I'm not a Christian!" This can be fixed. To become a Christian means you have to be saved by the LORD Jesus Christ. Who is Jesus Christ? That is the English translation of the Hebrew name for God (Yeshua). He came to earth in the form of a man, lived a perfect and sinless life, and came to die for your sin (anything evil you have ever done is called "sin" by God). By that death (and by being both God and man), Christ payed for your sins so as to make it possible for you to be saved. He had to die for youbecause you yourself aren't able to save yourself (Romans 3:23). If you are not saved by Jesus Christ, you must die and go to a place of everlasting punishment called Hell (Ezekiel 18:20, Revelation 20:13-15). This can be avoided if you can, with sincerity, do the following things:
1. Admit you are a sinner and need Jesus Christ to be saved (Romans 3:23, Ezekiel 18:20, Revelation 20:13-15). This is known as "Repentance." The word in the Greek language means to change your mind and turn. This doesn't mean you have to stop sinning or attempt to clean up your life--you can't do that only God can (Titus 3:5). Think of it like this: your life is the car your driving. Your car is broken down because of Sin. Repentance for this situation would mean not fixing the car, but getting out of it and running to the Mechanic. You don't want your sin, you want God--but just remember it has nothing to do with YOU trying to address your sin--God does that. That's the whole reason He died for you (John 3:17)!
2. Only Jesus Christ can fix that (1 John 2:2). He is the ONLY One that can save you. Why? He died for you and therefore is the only one that lives that contains the payment for your sins.
3. Believe that He is the Son of God who died on the Cross for your sins (1 Peter 3:18) and was brought back to life (resurrected) by God the Father (Acts 13:29-32).
4. Trust Him as your savior (John 3:16, Acts 16:31) and call upon his NAME (Yeshua) to save you (Romans 10:13, Acts 2:21). Come to Him, as the women that washed Jesus' feet with oil did (Matthew 26:6-13).
Tell those things above to God--that you're a sinner and need Him to save you through His death--and you will be saved! Being "saved" means being saved by His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), that you are given the Holy Spirit and sealed with Him forever (Ephesians 1:13-14andEphesians 4:30), and that you are a Child of Godforever(Romans 8:29-31 with R0mans 11:29). God is good!! Buy a Bible and start reading it everyday, pray to God everyday, get in a good, Bible based Church, and tell others about what you've just experienced (Matthew 28:16-20)! Live every day in the fear and reverence of the Lord Jesus Christ (Proverbs 9:10).
If you have questions about this post, your salvation, or if you have just become saved, please contact me at rrproclaim@gmail.com.
הוה' (Yahovah--God/Jesus Christ) bless,
Robert A. Rowlett
