The Devil (Part 3)

In the corner of my bedroom is a replica of the sword used by Sir William Wallace. He was a Scottish knight and national hero who fought for his country's independence from England in the late 13th century. Why do I have this since I don’t plan on getting in a sword fight? I keep it as a daily reminder that there is a battle going on, and I am a participant. No day will go by when I am not in a battle. Some days, I certainly can sense the battle is real, and other days, I do not. Regardless, the fact remains… there is a battle going on, and we are the target. We have opposition; we have an enemy.

In the last two weeks, we have discussed two ways in which the movement of Jesus Christ is opposed. We first looked at the flesh, the inner battle. Next, we looked at the world and the battle from external sources. This week, we will look at the fundamental enemy of the movement of Jesus, the devil.

So, who is the devil (also called Satan)?  He is a created being, an angel who rebelled against God. In the rebellion, he convinced many of the angels (now referred to as demons) to rebel with him and wage war against God. They lost the war, and God cast them all out of heaven. In Genesis 3, God’s enemy showed up on earth to tempt and deceive the first humans. Since Satan could not have God’s throne, he decided to wage war on God’s image bearers, the human race.

What else do we know about the devil? In John 12:31, Jesus refers to him as “the ruler of this world.” We know from 1 John 5:19 that “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” When Adam & Eve sinned against God and rebelled by following Satan’s temptation, they forfeited their authority over the earth and handed it over to our enemy. He rules the worldly systems until Jesus returns as the conquering King.

1 Peter 5:8 describes the devil as a lion prowling around, looking for someone to devour. Lions stalk their prey, lying in the shadows, waiting for a moment when the prey lets its guard down and does not realize their enemy is close. It’s important to understand that Satan often does the same, just waiting for your guard to be down so he can pounce.  

A key word in the above description is “created.” Satan is not all-present, all-powerful, and all-knowing. He is not in any way, shape, or form “equal to God.” However, he has power and an agenda. He wants to keep those who are not followers of Jesus from ever knowing the saving grace of faith (2 Corinthians 4:4). For those of us who are followers of Jesus, he wants to do as much damage to our daily walk so our life’s work for God’s Kingdom is minimized.

A natural response to attacks from the enemy is to adopt a victim mentality.  “This is just who I am – I’m a mess. I don’t have what it takes”.  If you have thought this, you are believing a lie rather than living confidently in your new identity in Christ. We cannot overcome the enemy on our own strength. But in Christ, you are made victorious.  Colossians 2:15 reminds us, “He (Jesus) disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly…”.  Through submission to Jesus, you have power and authority over the enemy. Live like a victor, not a victim.

In this battle for our life’s influence, how do we fight? 1 Peter 5:8-9 reminds us to 1) be sober-minded, 2) be alert or watchful, and 3) to stand firm in the faith. First, to be sober-minded is the opposite of a state of drunkenness. Peter is telling us we must stay sharp, keep our guard up, and be aware of what is happening around us. Second, to be alert or watchful is akin to a soldier in a watch tower looking for where the enemy may attack.  This does not promote looking for the devil or a demon behind every corner, but it does mean we must be aware of possible attacks. We must be aware of our vulnerable spots and, through trust, obedience, and fellowship in the Body, diligently seek to eliminate any distraction or platform for temptation or deception.

Finally, we must stand firm in the faith. Human nature tells us that we simply need to strap up our boots and fight off the devil, implying that the strength to resist him comes from our willpower. It does not. The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:11 that the only way to resist the schemes of the devil is to put on the full armor of God daily. If you are in Christ, the strength we need is readily available. But it is not OUR strength – it’s the strength of God inside of us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Dear Saints, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” (Ephesians 6:10, ESV).