Victorious Living!

Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.

Luke 10:17

Many people in the 21st century have a view of demons that they express by speaking of them as if they do not exist.  It seems to me, they believe that demons were just a primitive way of the people of ancient times explaining that which can be explained in other ways today; therefore, they see no need to think about just how much Jesus actually interacted with these evil "Baby Satans," how these beings influence Christians in painful and unnecessary ways, and how Satan and these entities have been defeated by Jesus. They certainly see no need to overcome them themselves.  Needless to say, such opinions give evil free reign that evil should not have.

Then there is the other point of view that Satan and Jesus are somehow equal in power, and that we are helpless in the tug of war between these two beings.  This is also misinformed and is completely biblically illiterate. You see, spiritual authority is NOT a battle that is being fought out, between the Devil and Jesus on some horizontal plane.  First, the battle has been won by Jesus.   The very reason He appeared was to destroy the Devil's work. (1 John 3:8.) And He made a public spectacle of Satan and his demons/minions (See Colossians 2:15) when Jesus, himself, was crucified, died, was buried and rose victoriously out of the grave.  So, Jesus declared in Matthew 28:18 "All authority in Heaven and Earth is given to ME!" Jesus is the ultimate God/Spiritual authority in the universe!

So What?  Well, my answer to "So What?" is very important because we also share in Jesus authority: Every Christ-Follower has been empowered with the same incomparably great power that raised Jesus from the dead.  It is the same as His "mighty strength." It is an authority, that we possess, that is "far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that can be invoked" in Paul's day, our day and any day that is to come. It's the same power that put Jesus enemies (the demons and the Devil) under Jesus feet ... and ours for that matter.  (Check out Ephesians 1:19-23.)

Because of Jesus glorious victory, we are consequently complete in Him who is the head of ALL authority and power. (Colossians 2:10 KJV) We can know and experience, without question, that the evil one cannot harm us ... The KJV says that he cannot touch us. (1 John 5:18.) If we submit to God and resist the Devil, he has to run from us.  (James 4:7-8. ) Greater is HE who is within you and me than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4b.) Finally, in The Revelation 12:11, we are told that the persecuted church overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.  Indeed, when we claim the blood of Jesus and testify that Jesus is Lord of all (Our own Lord) Satan will most assuredly be defeated.

Therefore, yes their is an invisible evil in the universe.  It does exist. We call this evil the Devil. Other entities like him we call demons or evil spirits.  They are not to be feared; needless to say, there is no tug of war between equally powerful foes.  For Jesus is LORD OF ALL.  He imparts His authority and power to us as God's people.  If we understand our authority, learn all we can about how to use our authority and then actually use it, we will win the battles of our lives for the good of God's Kingdom and for the glory of God.  We don't have to constantly struggle.  We already have connection with the very supernatural power that comes from God, produces the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit in us and gives us His eternal light, living water from God and, of course,  eternal life. May we learn from the Holy Bible how to walk in God's power and be truly free to live.

SoJourner