The Bible teaches that every Christian has three enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil. In my experience in church, I have received a lot of teaching on overcoming the world and the flesh, but not as much on overcoming the devil. I have received a lot of insight recently from godly teachers on what it means to be victorious over the our enemy, Satan. I believe that what I have learned so far is just the tip of an enormous iceberg. God has given us the tools we need for victorious living in his Word. There is a verse I have been meditating on recently, that previously I had overlooked or taken for granted, and it is the latter part of 1 John 3:8, which says:
"The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work." (1 John 3:8b, NIV)
Of course, I have heard the sermons on, "People picture the devil as a little red man running around with a pitchfork, but he was really a beautiful angel who was kicked out of heaven for trying to usurp God's rightful place" and, "One day Satan and all his demons will be banished to the lake of fire." And although those things are very true, that is merely surface knowledge. It is the basic facts we need to know first to understand on a deeper level how Satan really works.
There is much we need to consider in relation to 1 John 3:8, which will be discussed in this post and in later installments. So let's look at some scriptures that teach us about who Satan is and his agenda.
1. Satan hates us passionately and he desires our destruction. In John 10, Jesus tells the parable of The Shepherd and His Flock, in which he calls himself both the Good Shepherd, and the gate by which all who desire eternal life must enter. He describes Satan as a thief, and in John 10:10a, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy." 1 Peter 5:8b says, "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Sometimes, I think we forget or underestimate the depth of his hatred for the saints of God. Why does he hate us so much? Because, according to 1 Peter 2:9, we are "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that [we] may declare the praises of him who called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light." We are the apple of God's eye, his most prized possession. He loved us enough to give his only Son to die for us, and because Satan's ultimate enemy is God, the quickest and surest way to pierce God's heart is to attack his beloved.
2. Satan's authority is temporary and limited. Can I get a hallelujah? 1 John 4:4b says, "The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." Satan's days are numbered. That is why he is trying as much as he can to create as much carnage as possible. When we are being attacked by the Enemy, we can have hope because of this verse. God is greater than Satan, and he is in us! On our own, we cannot overcome Satan, but because of Christ in us, we can be triumphant over him.
3. Christ has given us authority over Satan which we CAN exercise. In Matthew 28:18 (the verse preceding the Great Commission) it reads, "The Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.'" In Luke 10:17, after Jesus sent out seventy-two disciples it says, "The seventy-two returned with joy and said, 'Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.'" Romans 8:17 calls us "heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ." All that belongs to Christ now belongs to us as well. We have authority over Satan and all his evil spirits in the name of Jesus.
4. The battle with the Enemy takes place in our minds. Ephesians 6:12 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." All sin and evil begins with a thought. Sometimes these thoughts are of our flesh, but many times they are straight from Satan. Once we receive Christ, he can't have us back. We belong to God eternally. But he wants to do everything he can to cause us to doubt God, to live in confusion, to hide from God, to live in bondage and fear, and to not realize who we are in Christ. He does this primarily through deception, although he certainly uses other types of attacks as well. The Bible calls him "the Father of lies" and "the Accuser of the brethren." When Satan has control of our minds, he can easily steer the rest of us, and we become capable of making decisions contrary to who we are in Christ. This does not mean that we have lost our salvation, but it can mean that we are enslaved.
I wish I had known all this years ago.
Now that we have laid out these important points, let me tell you how this basic foundation applies to us.
I always felt bad about my struggle with sin (as I discussed in my last post.) But it was deep, a lot deeper than I ever told anyone. I didn't understand how I could be a genuine Christian and still have the struggles that I had. Of course, being open and honest about our deepest struggles is not an option in a lot of churches today, where believers are expected to put on a smile and have it all together. (Does anyone else loathe that expectation other than me?)
I know that God accepts me just as I am, junk and all, and that I can come to him and be honest, and I don't have to clean myself up first. That is what he desires. He loves me for who I am, not how well I perform as a Christian. I have found unconditional acceptance in my relationship with him, and because of that, I feel compelled to open up to my family in Christ about the struggles I have faced (and still face.) Pastor Rick Warren has said, "You are only as sick as your secrets."
I am a survivor of havoc that Satan has wreaked on my life. I know what it's like to be enslaved. I know what it's like to be accused of being a hypocrite and deceived into believing lies about myself... for years. Subsequently, I lived a life of daily being wracked by fear (especially fear of rejection.) Because of this, I have been very insecure, needy to other people, angry, bitter, in denial, depressed, anxious, and tormented on the inside. I had this pervasive awareness that there was something wrong with me, that I was a failure, that GOD had rejected me. Is that what the Christian life is supposed to be? Aren't Christians supposed to be joyful, able to withstand trials by the grace of God? Aren't we supposed to shine like stars in the universe? Well, that sure wasn't me. And I became hopeless. I was so desperate to have what I truly believed I could never have: Freedom.
Mind you again, this was an INNER struggle. To the leaders in my church, I was a stellar example to the rest of the believers. I read my Bible everyday, I led people to the Lord, I volunteered in many different ministries. I wrote songs on my guitar, I went on mission trips, and one day I wanted to be a full time missionary. Who knew that I could be going through this awful pain, day after day, for years? NO ONE KNEW. I was too afraid and confused to tell anyone.
Satan was having a field day with me, and because I did not recognize what he was doing, and because I was unaware of the authority I have over him in Christ, I was trapped. The most vulnerable, most special, most powerful part of me was in chains. It is bliss to Satan when we remain ignorant. He is capable of so much.
I believe there are multitudes of born-again believers who also suffer daily from the torment of Satan. His ability to deceive us hook, line, and sinker is profound. He accuses us constantly and convinces us to believe things about ourselves that are not true. But I am here to tell you today that THERE IS HOPE FOR YOU! And that hope's name is JESUS! Jesus came to destroy the work of the enemy! Although he is the prince of this world, JESUS owns us; Jesus is the ruler of our hearts! We are set apart for him! Earlier I had quoted the first part of John 10:10. The last part says, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." It was true then, and it's true now. It's true for me, and it's true for you. No matter where you have been or what you have done, or what kind of shame you have carried even as a believer, Christ is here to liberate you. He is the only one who can.
In my next post, I am going to get more personal. I have a story, and it's messy at parts. I have skeletons in my closet even still. But God is teaching me to daily walk in victory! It is not an overnight process; it is a daily battle. But because of Christ in me, I can be who I am and not let Satan have authority over me. You may even be surprised at what you will read...
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