Our adversary, the devil

[Jacob]

Some Christians think the devil is just a fancy notion that has no
reality, and some others are so scared of the devil that they see him
everywhere! But the devil is very real in the New Testament, and all
those who take their Christian lives seriously are bound to come
across him as a deceiver, accuser, tempter, and an enemy who is out to
attack us (Re.12:9,10;Mt.4:1;1Pe.5:8). He works directly or through
his demons to inject ideas into our mind. He does this so well that
often we imagine that they are our own thoughts. If we look back and
examine our thoughts, we realise that we would not have thought such
thoughts on our own. In fact we disagree with or hate such thoughts.
But they do come in, apparently out of the blue, and try to mislead
us.

The devil knows that his time is very short, and that soon he will be
thrown into the lake of fire (Re.20:10). So he is out to do the
maximum damage he can to God's people. Can't we recognise his presence
through the increasing rate of violence, sexual attacks, suicides,
etc., these days? Even small things seem to trigger unreasonably
violent responses from people. People hit out verbally or physically
at the slightest provocation, and murders and suicides take place very
easily. What is happening seems to be that when we get under pressure
due to difficult circumstances, Satan places suggestions into our mind
to take strong action. If we don't have clear boundaries in our mind
about what we will not do, we can get fooled into following his
ideas.

We don't have to live in fear of the devil because Jesus has already
conquered him on the cross and stripped off his power over us (Co.
2:15). Jesus has also given us authority over all the power of the
enemy (Lk.10:19). We now have the authority in Jesus' name to stand
against all the hosts of Satan, not because of anything in ourselves
but under the authority of Jesus that has been delegated to us. If we
are under submission to Jesus and we resist Satan he has to flee (Jas.
4:7). We may remember the picture from 'Pilgrim's Progress' that shows
us that the devil may try to frighten us with his roars, but he is
chained, and he cannot reach us unless we go too near!

We are no match for the devil when it comes to strategy because his
intelligence and experience are far superior. Our strength is in
Christ when we abide in Him. The Bible talks about avoiding
unforgiving attitudes or anger which can give a foothold for the devil
(2Co.2:10,11;Ep.4:26,27). We can also take it that the same warning
will also hold if we consciously hold on to any other sin (Ps.66:18).
Our constant aim must be to live with a clear conscience towards God
and man (Ac.24:16). If our heart is right we will have confidence
before God (1Jn.3:21).

On a practical note, let us see that when the devil comes to our
thoughts there will usually be a 'push' behind it, trying to force us
into action. It is never good to be hasty in words or action.

[Mathew Enoch Mount]

Jacob,

Something troubles me regarding your post, so I will take your three
main supporting verses and show the context of scripture before I
render an analysis. I will thus consider Collisions 2:15, Luke 10:19,
and James 4:7 within the larger context of scripture. Overall,
hopefully this will be helpful to those whom have troubles in this
matter.

You said the following, "We don't have to live in fear of the devil

because Jesus has already conquered him on the cross and stripped off
his power over us (Co. 2:15)"

The scripture says the following about the issue, "See to it that no
one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which
depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world
rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity
lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who
is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also
circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a
circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done
by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him
through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your
sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our
sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was
against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it
to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made
a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."
Colossians 2:8-15 (NIV)

According to the scripture Christ is the head over every authority as
this includes Satan. Remember when the demon possessed man came
before Christ and the demons pleaded with him to put them in the pigs
and Christ said "GO!" and they went into the pigs. Matthew 8:28-34
Remember also that after Christ was crucified on the cross that Caesar
continued to proclaim himself to be God, and also remember what is
written about Herod, "On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal
robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the
people. They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man."
Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the
Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the
word of God continued to increase and spread." Acts 12:21-24 (NIV)
Overall, after the crucifixion of Christ Pilot and Herod become
friends whereas before they had been enemies, and so the crucifixion
of Christ actually brought them together as brothers sharing the same
father Luke 23:12 (the devil was their father).

Christ did disarm the powers and authorities by the cross and make a
public spectacle of them, but while this kind of stuff was happening
the twelve had scattered and some even denounced him. The cross was
like the corner stone that got thrown into the waters that caused the
ripples that gave birth to children of Abraham (actually Christ as
like Isaac bring the only begotten son of the father whom gives birth
to the one whom gives birth to the twelve and then to the nation or
nations) like the sands of the sea in number. The point is that the
cross disarmed the powers and authorities for the one whom is being
saved, but we must remember that in nations like China people still
continue to worship God in secret as a result of the possibility of
imprisonment. Not only that but in the lands that Saint Paul
instituted churches in some of these arias a person can be put to
death for their acts of evangelism as a majority of the people are
often Islamic. Thus remember that in the book of Job God started the
conversion with Satan by saying, "have you considered by servant Job",
and then God told Satan to torment him but just not to kill him. Job
1:7-9

Let us thus consider your second main point for you said the
following, "Jesus has also given us authority over all the power of

the enemy (Lk.10:19). We now have the authority in Jesus' name to
stand against all the hosts of Satan, not because of anything in
ourselves but under the authority of Jesus that has been delegated to
us."

Let us thus consider the context of scripture that you are talking
about, "The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the
demons submit to us in your name." He replied, "I saw Satan fall like
lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on
snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy;
nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits
submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
Luke 10:17-20 (NIV) Note that this is spoken to those whom are sent
out two by two ahead of Jesus Christ (the seventy-two).

For those whom are being sent out ahead of Jesus Christ he gives them
the authority over the evil spirits and over the devils (otherwise
they would be fighting a losing battle). These people go before Jesus
into the places that he will enter into according to the scripture
whereas Job was not like this; moreover, Job was like a king that
stayed in the same place all the time so God had to send Satan to
Job. The point is that yes we can be under the same promise of the
seventy-two and Christ can be seen as disarming all the powers and
authorities by the cross because death no longer as any baring on our
destiny because Adam has already been put to death in us and through
the cross we are born into the nature of Christ by consuming his flesh
and his blood, but the powers of evil will always have power over us
if we are not investing the talents of God or the gifts of the Holy
Ghost into others (remember the story of the master and the talents).
Thus to be covered under the promise of the seventy-two we need to be
advancing the kingdom of God going before Christ into the places that
he will soon attend.

Your third point is that you said, "If we are under submission to

Jesus and we resist Satan he has to flee (Jas. 4:7)."

The scripture says the following in context, "What causes fights and
quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle
within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet,
but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not
have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive,
because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on
your pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship
with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a
friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think
Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us
envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture
says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Submit
yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from
you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands,
you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn
and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his
brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you
judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and
destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor? James 4:1-12
(NIV)

From this scripture we see several things. First people fight and
quarrel over things that they either should not have in the first
place or that they do not ask God for. When they do ask for those
things, they ask out of their own selfish desires and thus they do not
ask for them in the name of Christ (this is why people do not get what
they ask for). Anyone whom loves the world hates God, so why should
God bless those whom hate him?

Second Adam and Eve hid from God because they had been afraid, and it
is that hiding from God that has alienated us from God. We thus need
to resist the inclinations to hide from God, and we need to draw
closer to Christ through submission to the will of God. The washing
of the hands and the purifying of the hearts thus needs to follow in
order to draw away from the one master and draw closer to the other.

Third we need to put on sack cloth and morn if we have strife between
us and evil among us. We thus must not continue in our desires to
such an extent as to cause the strife to escalate to the extent of us
judging our brothers and thus judging the law because from God comes
the law and he is also its judge, so we should not sit in his set and
Judge over others. Overall, we should humble ourselves before God and
advance his kingdom by bring the gospel ahead of him.

The reason why the seventy-two had the authority that they had is
because Christ gave them that authority. This was like the authority
that was given to Saint Paul as the light entered him. Thus the
reason why people have problems with the devil tempting them and
causing strife between them is because such people have not yet been
given the full new nature, but instead the old nature is still very
much alive in them and they constantly fight between the two masters
of Christ and Satan even through Christ is the authority over
everything including Satan. Overall, Christ only overthrew every
power and authority for those whom he purchased with his blood on the
cross, but for the rest people like Hared and Caesar continued to
believe that they themselves had been gods even to their death.

To drive the point home we need to have Christ born into our lives.
We need to be crucified with Christ. We need to be risen with Christ
in heavenly places for the new nature to take full effect. Until then
even if we are clothed with power from on high we will continue to
struggle with having two masters (a man can not have two masters and a
house cannot be divided against itself).

Thank you,

Mathew Enoch Mount
mmo...@essex1.com

[Jacob]

Come on, it's not as bad as it sounds. It just needs some
clarifications in order to remove the apprehensions.

Of course, when Jesus defeated Satan on the cross, it was not as if he
was annihilated or expelled from the earth. Satan is very active even
now, actually more active since he knows his days are short. What I
meant is that we don't have to live in fear because Satan is a
defeated foe.

I think it is right to assume that the authority given to the 72
disciples of Jesus is available to us also, when we read from Mark 16
that those who believe can cast out evil spirits. Jesus also told the
apostles before He was lifted up to heaven that all authority had been
given to Him, and therefore they should go out and make disciples of
all nations (the great commission). We take it that this commission
applies to us also, don't we? Then we also assume that the authority
is also available to us.

In any case I think you will entirely agree with me when I say that
the essential point of the post is -- Satan is very active now; he
tempts us by placing thoughts in our mind; but we don't have to live
in fear of him. I also believe, from the above para, that we have
authority in Jesus' name to cast out demons.

[Mathew Enoch Mount]

[Mathew Enoch Mount]

Hello,

After talking with Larry, I found that he was very impressed and
excited about the communication on this subject. I realize that what
you had to say Jacob was not incredibly bad, but at the same time it
is sort of like a common message that I hear today from certain people
in some ways and that is why I had a lot to say regarding it. Not
everyone whom believes in Jesus Christ has the power of the seventy-
two because not everyone whom believes has yet been clothed with power
from on high so to speak, and I do not believe that Judas had the
power to drive out demons (remember Satan entered him at communion)
because he only recognized Jesus as teacher and not also as Lord.
Overall, I know of many professing Christians whose demon driving
power may be lacking because they may simply not be very committed to
God for one reason or another, and as a result those people really
concern me for a lot of reasons (I for example do not think that the
multitude whom attempted to follow Jesus had a lot of demon driving
power, but than again you might not think that they really believed).

Thank you,

Mathew Enoch Mount
mmo...@essex1.com

On Nov 16, 11:07 am, Jacob <jni...@gmail.com> wrote:

[ON EARTH Ministries]

All –

Generally, most who have read my posts, or heard my sermons, might
find the tone of this surprising.

As Brother Mathew stated, I am excited to see a dialog developing
regarding an awareness of the devil, his demon minions, and our
missional responsibility to recognize and deal appropriately with the
spirits of evil.

Make no mistake, as a sovereign Holy Nation we are under attack and
taking fire constantly from all directions, orchestrated by Satan and
his many demons. All, from the overt volleys of the atheistic
non-believer, to the more covert and insidious attempts to gain access
to our souls, by crawling under the trip wires of the watchful mind,
are acts of Satan, and the work of his demons.

The battleground is the here and now of each of us.

Each moment we are having feelings, thoughts and committing acts that
are either Kingdom, or anti-Kingdom. We are either doing Our Father’s
will, on Earth as it is in Heaven, or the evil ones’, as it is in
hell. There’s no gray area, no inconsequential actions, or no filler
moments.

We have already embarked on the journey of eternal life, by the Grace
of Our Father, through his son Jesus the Christ. And as a Kingdom of
Priests not only are we to intercede for the Salvation and cleansing
of others, but to also be aware, and not be duped into serving the
devil.

The prince of darkness sees us as a prize. He lurks in the shadows at
every turn waiting for opportunities to set us ever so slightly askew.
One degree off and the angle may make us miss the gate completely.

Because it is possible through our rebirth as children of the Family
of Yahweh, and the blood atonement made on our behalf by His Son, the
Son of Man, The Paschal Lamb, we should do as Jesus instructed and,
“Be perfect.”

In this perfection, and by His Grace, we may have the Faith to speak
with authority as we cast out demons, rebuke Satan, and be Our
Father’s instruments in healing the festering evil-infected wounds of
the world.

Peace, and All Good Things.

--
Brother Larry Roy Woodsmall
ON EARTH MINISTRIES