Victory Over the Devil: The Power of God’s Word
The Bible warns us that the devil is a real and formidable enemy, intent on deceiving and destroying us. Jesus described him as “a murderer from the beginning” and “the father of lies” (John 8:44). However, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, the devil has been decisively defeated. As the Bible says, “Through death, [Christ] might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14).
The Devil’s Limited Power
Although the devil is powerful, his power is limited. Because of Christ’s shed blood for our sins, the devil cannot destroy those who are in Christ. His accusations are no longer valid, and the only thing that could sentence us to eternal destruction – unforgiven sin – has been completely forgiven through the cross. Therefore, the devil can only kill us, but not damn us.
Conquering the Devil
So, how do we conquer the devil? The Bible tells us that it is by trusting in Jesus’ blood to cover all our sins and by holding on to our faith even unto death. As John wrote, “They have conquered [the devil] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death” (Rev. 12:11). This victory is not just for eternity but also for our daily lives. When we face temptations and trials, we can overcome them by quoting Scripture, just like Jesus did in the wilderness.
The Power of God’s Word
The Word of God is the key to overcoming the devil. It is the power that defeats him and delivers us from his snare. As Paul instructed Timothy, “The Lord’s servant must be able to teach… correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil” (2 Tim. 2:24-26). Teaching and knowing the truth – the Word of God – is the most common instrument that God uses to deliver us from the devil’s grasp.
Treasuring Up God’s Word
If we want to have power over the devil and escape his deceit and destruction, we must treasure up the Word of God and wield it like a sword against our foe. We must be armed with the truth to fight for our joy and our faith. As the hymn goes:
“The prince of darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo! his doom is sure;
One little word shall fell him.”
Ready for Battle
When the powers of darkness array against us, and aim to destroy our joy forever, nothing is more precious than to have the Word of God ready for the battle. The fight for joy is not for the unarmed. Let us arm ourselves with the truth and stand firm against the devil’s schemes.
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