How to resist the enemy
by Jim Durkin
How we perceive Jesus is what He will be to us. Hence if we see Jesus as our Saviour, that is all He will be to us. Satan creates a condition of constant spiritual warfare, causing the world to be shrewd, cunning, etc. However, God’s will is ultimately fulfilled in every circumstance as He is in total control. While on earth, Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man, He began to realize His purpose. How do you see yourself? 1 Peter 5:8 asks us to be sober and vigilant because the devil walks about seeking whom he may devour, but we are in no danger at all because if God is for us, who can be against us? Only at the moment when the thief on the cross recognized who Jesus was, was he saved, Jesus said ‘today you will be with me in paradise.’
The devil can only harm us if we give him the authority to do so. The church should be completely aware of the devices that the devil uses to deceive. The Bible says that we shall know the truth, and the truth shall set us free. However, the devil slanders God to us, thereby reducing God in our eyes, e.g., a trial that causes us to question God. Similarly, the devil slanders us to God as seen in the book of Job. We may also be tempted to slander our brothers, thereby becoming instruments of Satan.
There are occasions when God permits attacks or sifting by evil powers for purposes of His own and for our own good. When Job faced trial after trial, the devil sent his wife to slander God, but Job’s position of faith in God never changed.
As Christians, we need to realize that Satan and all his demons have been stripped of all their power. Though he may have temporary victory, he will never achieve ultimate victory because God will not allow us to be tempted above what we’re able, as He is faithful. When we are being tempted, it is a chance to glorify God as we can overcome in Jesus through prayer and praise, submitting ourselves to God.
Do we see ourselves as complete in Christ? Colossians 2:9-15 – “For in Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power”. Do we see ourselves as new creations in Christ? God will no longer remember our sins and iniquities, and we need to forget about them. The only power that Satan has over us is to make us believe that he can resist us. We are to see Satan as Jesus sees him; he fell from heaven like lightning, stripped of his power, defeated, wounded, paralyzed, his sting has been removed.
We are continuously triumphant by the confession of our mouths, the belief of our hearts and the actions of our being. The devil cannot harm us as we have all the power over the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt us. It is a battle of authority, and we are to take authority over the enemy and his works. At the name of the Lord, every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
