WRESTLING (WITH SATAN, THAT IS)

I'm not a sports fan -- never have been! But there is an opponent I'm engaged in a wrestling match with! And that's everyone's good-for-nothing foe, the devil!

Colossians 2:15 (Amplified Bible) says "[God] disarmed the principalties and powers ranged against us and made bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross]." In other words, God took all the devil's weapons away from him! And do you think He's ever given them back? Of course not!

Scripture confirms this. (Remember -- "in the mouth of two or three witnesses" Matt. 18:16, 2 Cor. 13:1) "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might DESTROY the works of the devil." I John 3:8.

OK, if Satan has lost his weapons, if his works have been destroyed, why is he so powerul today? Or is he? As far as the Christian is concerned, Satan is no more powerful in our lives than we let him be! Wow! Why haven't we been taught that?

II Corinthians 4:4 tells us that Satan is still "the god of this world." Ephesians 2:2 reminds us that he is still "the prince of the power of the air". And Ephesians 6:12 warns us we're still in a wrestling match, there's still a spiritual combat to be won! And if the devil has no weapons left, why does James 4:7 tell us to resist him? It also encourages us that he will flee from us when we oppose and resist him. (I hope you look up and study these Scriptures, for THEY ARE OUR WEAPONS!)

So, if Satan has lost his weapons, what gives, anyhow? We find the answer in Ephesians 6:11. We must become aware of "the WILES of the devil." What are "wiles"? Tricks, deceptions, schemes, etc. If we gullibly believe Satan's lies, he gains power over us.

You've heard of people who rob banks by claiming to have a gun when, in fact, they have no weapon at all. And if Satan makes us believe he has his weapons and can do what he threatens to do to us, it's just as good as though he really does have his weapons back! Satan has deceived the greater part of the human race into believing his trickery and lies in this regard!

So here's what I want you to think about today. The reason we still have problems with sin, sickness, fear, death, depression, etc., is because we believe what the devil says about those things more than we believe what God says about them!

Yes, Jesus won complete victory over Satan, but WE MUST ENFORCE OR APPLY THAT VICTORY IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS! We've been given authority to do this in Luke 10:19: "I give unto you power . . . over all the power of the enemy." (And "greater is he that in you, than he that is in the world." I John 4:4.)

Do you believe that? REALLY believe it?

Preacher's Kid