Opposing the Devil
Unfortunately, we are ALL sinners (ala Nietzsche “Human all too Human”) and are prone to have our failing behaviors transgress into various levels of immoral depravity & self-degrading offenses. Not only are our natures flawed, but we have a formidable adversary after us, a predator most gifted in the Art of Deception (the FATHER of the LIE).
“Know thy enemy”- Sun Tzu in the Art of War
THE ENEMY
Rev 12:9:
The great dragon known as the devil and Satan was thrown down to earth DECEIVING the whole world.
1 Pet 5:8-9: Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a ROARING LION, seeking someone to devour.
Ephesians 6:12: For we wrestle not against FLESH & BLOOD, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the DARKNESS of this world, against spiritual powers, EVIL FORCES, and darkness.”
INTROSPECTION:
I used to think that the Satan and his demons were too powerful for man, until I STARTED PRAYING for the Holy Spirit to protect me. Man, I didn’t EVEN KNOW you can pray to have the Holy Spirit enter you! I only thought it was for those special selected ones, like the Apostles and those baptized during the post Jesus resurrection to preach, teach, expel demons, and heal. I didn’t realize that you can RECEIVE the HOLY SPIRIT by simply- asking for it.
INVOKING Holy Spirit:
Luke 11:13: “How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.”
Mat 7:7-8: He who asks it shall be given, he who seeks he will find, and he who knocks, it shall be opened.
TEACHES US:
John 14:26: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will TEACH you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
GUIDES US:
John 16:13: “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will GUIDE you into all the truth.”
PROTECT US (one of my favorites):
Isiah 59:19 (KJV): ”….When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” Standard, meaning to lift a banner of God’s army to rally around, pushing back the enemy. In older English, the word STANDARD meant to signal troops, to take a stand in battle, to establish a visible point of resistance and authority. Therefore, God’s Spirit intervenes decisively and drives back evil. Some scholars believe the verse literally describes God Himself coming like a rushing stream.
EMPOWER US:
Acts 1:8: “But you will RECEIVE power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…”
Luke 10:19: “Behold, I give unto you POWER to tread on serpents, scorpions’, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall be any means hurt you.”
James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. RESIST the devil, and he will flee from you.”
HELPS US:
Romans 8:26: “In like manner the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself INTERCEDES for us…” Note: Truly, human Will Power & Discipline telling yourself ‘Don’t do it.’…Or, ‘I must not do that’ will never overcome the SNARES OF SIN.
WITHIN US:
1 Corinthians 3:16: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God DWELLS IN YOU?"
2 Timothy 1:14: ”Guard, through the Holly Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.”
Eph 1:13: ”In Him, you also, after listening to the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.
COMMENTARY:
Then, there’s a safeguard that the Most MERCIFUL implemented to ‘Level the Playing Field’: 1 Cor 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is COMMON to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear but when tempted, He will also provide a WAY OUT so that you can endure.”
P.S. Thank You, Father Yahweh, for the gift of Your Holy Spirit. May it fill me afresh, correct me when I stray, and remove anything that grieves You. Make me sensitive to Its voice. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for revealing that my failures are not the end of my story and reminding me that I am not defined by my failures, but by Your Grace. Thank You for unveiling Satan’s insidious tactics of Indictment: Where he accuses us of our sins and misleads our consciousness into Shame and Self-Condemnation- LIES that prevent us from repentance and becoming ’the New Man’ (Eph: 4:24). Thank You for exposing the devils’ scheme to convince us that we are UNWORTHY (another LIE).
B.P.S.
I find the following most interesting:
1.We were made in His image (Genesis 1:26), Satan wasn’t.
2.The Holy Spirit is within us (see above)- not in Satan.
3.A RANSOM has been paid (by Jesus’ death) for us- not for Satan’s transgressions.
4.We have been inherited by the Father (Rom 8:16 & 1 John 4:2)- Satan was expelled.
Truly, the Lord Jesus is greater than my weaknesses and through His authority the devil is beneath our feet… “Abba Father! Abba Father!” Long over-due Testimony…From the Lookout Post.