Have you ever met or known a ruthless bully? I’m talking about someone who randomly inflicts punishment upon others for no reason at all. The biggest bully in the world is someone we can’t see; that is the devil. He is rampant in the earth. He goes about like a roaring lion looking for someone to destroy (1 Peter 5:8).
At first, no one could stand against the attacks and wiles of the devil. But that all changed at Calvary. Jesus’ death on the cross was a terrible defeat for the devil. “The Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8, KJV).
Perhaps you are thinking that since Jesus came, you don’t see any change regarding the works of the devil. To you, he is still rampant. He is still inflicting punishment on humanity at will. He is just as evil today as he was 2000 years ago.
On the surface, it may seem that way. But let’s think back on the verse that was quoted above. When Jesus died, He did not annihilate the works of the devil and put him out of business. Anyone of us can see that.
When Jesus returns, however, He will utterly destroy the devil. Hell has been prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). As for now, Jesus has given us the means to withstand and annul the works of the devil.
Why We Can Withstand the Works of the Devil
Let’s see how this works. We know the devil is fully at work in our world. He is our adversary, seeking whom he may devour. The chaos of our world is not happenstance. Rather, it is being masterminded by the devil. The Bible refers to the him as the god of this world who blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4). They are powerlessly living out the deadly script he was written for their lives.
But that is not true about us who know Christ!
a. We have been empowered against the works of the devil. Though he is at work in the world, someone greater than the devil lives on the inside of us (1 John 4:4). We don’t have to walk the way of this world. We have been translated from death to life. We have been set free to live a Spirit-led life.
b. Jesus has given us authority over demons through His name. Returning from their assignment, the disciples said; “Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name” (Luke 10:17).
c. Jesus is our Healer. Sometimes, the devil attacks our body through sickness and diseases. But through prayer and faith in the name of the Lord, the sick can be made well (James 5:14-15).
In summary, the One greater than the devil lives in us, demons are subject to us through the name of Jesus, and the sick can be made well through faith in Jesus’ name. This was all made possible through His death on the cross.
I believe it’s past time for us to viciously contend with the works of the devil through what Christ has done in us and through what we can do through His name. What about you?
Copyright © 2022 by Frank King. All rights reserved.
Bisi
Yes Pastor Frank we have been given authority through Jesus Christ our Lord.
frankking025
Absolutely; even the devil and his works against us are subject to us through Christ and His matchless name.