Introduction : The devil is a spirit, so we cannot see him. He appears to people through their thoughts or animals or other people. The devil is our powerful enemy. Jesus said that the devil is a thief. Jesus also said the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. Therefore, we must realize that the devil is behind the people who are against us, and we should not fight against them but engage in spiritual warfare.
1. The instrument that the devil uses 1) The snake, the instrument of Adam¢¥s fall and the devil (Ge 3:1, 4-5) - The devil came as a crafty snake to talk directly with human beings (Eze 28:12-13) 2) The devil appeared to Jesus in the desert. We don¢¥t know how or in what form he may appear to us. 3) The devil used Cain to kill Abel (1Jn 3:10-12) (1) The devil is behind unrighteousness (1 Jn 3:8, 4) (2) The devil is behind hatred (1 Jn 3:15) (3) The devil is behind murder (Jn 8:44) 4) The devil used Judas Iscariot to kill Jesus - Through thoughts (Jn 13:2, Lk 22:3) - The devil is the source of evil thoughts
2. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood 1) Joshua fought against Amalek in Rephidim (Ex 17:10-11) 2) The world of the devil (Eph 6:10-12) (1) Dominion - Government of the devil (Mt 12:26) (2) Authority - Have authority in each country (Lk 4:6) (3) Superintendent of the world - An organization of the dark world (1 Jn 5:19, Eph2:2) (4) Evil spirits - An army of the devil (Rev 12:4), (Isa 24:21) 3) The power behind the human world (Mt 16:23, Lk 22:31-32, Ac 5:3)
3. Resist the devil 1) Disarmed the devil (Col 2:13-15) (1) Forgave sin (2) Abolished the law (3) Disarmed the nation of the devil (Ge 3:15, 1 Jn 3:8, 1 Co 15:56-57) 2) Acts of the devil (Jn 10:10) (1) Stealing - accusation, makes people begin to doubt (Job 2:7) Stealing joy, peace, faith, hope, love, and health (2 Co 4:4, Mt 13:19) (2) Killing - Corruption, mental anguish, frustration, despair, fear, hatred, jealousy, anger, envy, and dissipation (Heb 2:24, Lk 21:34) (3) Destructive - Worship foreign gods, worship idols, atheists, humanists (2 Co 11:14-15, 1 Ti 4:1) 3) Resist the devil (1Pe 5:8-9, Mt 4:10) (1) Resist the devil (Mk 16:17, Jn 14:14, Ac 3:6, Jas 4:7) (2) Through the blood and by the word of our testimony (Rev 12:10-11, Mt 21:22, 1 Pe 4:7, 1 Jn 4:4, 5:18, Rev 20:10) (3) Through prayer (Mk 9:28-29)
Conclusion :We have received authority from Jesus to overcome the power of the enemy (Luke 10:18-19). It is a great victory to realize that the devil exists and is the one controlling the evil things happening in our lives. Anything can be controlled by the devil, so we must resist the devil through prayer, by the word of our testimony, through the name of Jesus, and through the power of His precious blood-instead of relying on our own strength. |