Introduction : How wonderful if there were no crime in the world. A world without greed, oppression and inequality, a world without hatred, warfare, killing and wounding, a world without death, suffering and despair; we cannot expect this kind of world as long as the devil exists. The devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. The devil never ceases to curse and accuse us. We don´t want to hear anything about the devil. However, we must know about the devil as long as he exists. If we know our enemy and ourselves well, we can win every battle.
1. The devil´s true character 1) The devil was a very well created archangel and made himself as Most High (Isa 14:12-14) 2) The devil´s true character (Eze 28:13-14) 3) Tempted one third of angels and revolted (Rev 12:3-4) 4) Built a kingdom in the air and continued revolt - Rulers (government), authorities (governors), powers of this dark world (provincial governors), the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm (army of the devil) 5) Resist God and His nation with all their strength (Mt 24:24, Rev 12:10) 6) The whole world is under the control of the evil one (1Jn 5:19, 2 Co 4:4)
2. God´s strategy to rescue humanity 1) Cannot be accomplished from an individual level - Religion, philosophy, science, penance, discipline...(Ro 3:10, Ps 49:12, Ac 4:12) 2) Strategy of God´s level (1) An incarnation of God´s son - By seeing this fact, salvation of humankind is not easy at all (Heb 2:14-15, Jn 1:14, 3:16) (2) Jesus became a sacrificial offering (Jn 1:29, Mk 10:45, Heb 10:5) (3) Legal victory of atonement - It is finished (Col 1:13-14, 1 Co 15:55-57) (4) Ended warfare and continuing battle - like an Iraqi war (Col 2:15, 1 Pe 5:8-9)
3. The full armor of God (Eph 6:12-18) 1) With the belt of truth buckled around your waist - Buckle on the center of life with Jesus (Jn 14:16, 8:12) 2) With the breastplate of righteousness in place - Forgiveness through the precious blood and the righteousness of God (Ro 5:9, Eph 1:7) 3) With your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace - The shoes of peace of the Fivefold Gospel (Isa 53:5, 1 Pe 2:9) 4) Take the helmet of salvation - Take the Threefold blessing of salvation (3 Jn 1:2, Jn 10:10) 5) Take up the shield of faith - The Word of God´s promise became the shield (Ro 10:17, Heb 11:6) 6) Take the sword of the Spirit - The scalpel of God that operates on falsehood (Jn 14:17, Ac 5:3) 7) The power of prayer (Jer 33:3, Mk 6:17-18)
Conclusion : We must continue to fight against the devil during our lifetime. Victory is guaranteed if we know who the devil is and if we know ourselves in the grace of Jesus.
|