Bible Study Bonus Notes - Overcoming Satan
This is a bonus thought from the Bible Study last Wednesday night. If you missed the Bible Study you can watch it here.
We believe in Satan and we believe that he is dangerous. However, we also believe that we have the power to overcome Him. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (I John 4:4) We have a promise of victory! How can we overcome him?
We believe in Satan and we believe that he is dangerous. However, we also believe that we have the power to overcome Him. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (I John 4:4) We have a promise of victory! How can we overcome him?
WE MUST BE SAVED.
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Revelation 12:11)
We will not be able to overcome the Devil until we have the One Who is greater than the Devil living on the inside. We will have victory over him through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Why does this overcome him? When we trust Christ as our Saviour we have taken away the power that Satan has over us. Satan’s power over mankind is to be his accuser before God. He tempts us to sin and then runs right to God to bring an accusation of our sin to God’s account in Heaven. However, once we are saved we now have an Advocate that pleads our case before God. How does He plead our case against Satan’s accusations? He pleads His own blood that now covers our sins! Praise the Lord! Satan’s accusations of the redeemed are then cast out of God’s court in Heaven and it is not recorded on our record.
WE MUST PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD.
“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11)
While the Devil cannot damage our record in Heaven, he still desires to destroy our testimony on this earth. Therefore the wise Christian will dawn the armor of God and prepare to defend himself against Satan’s attacks.
The believer who fails to put on the armor of God and take up the provided weapons God has given for our battle leaves themselves vulnerable to the attacks of the Devil. He knows that if he can ruin your testimony as a Christian he can make you miserable and ineffective on this earth.
WE MUST RESIST THE DEVIL.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
Once we are saved and have put on the armor of God we must have the guts and gumption to stand up to the Devil. How do we do this? We do this when we submit to God, God then becomes our helper in the face of temptation and provides a way of escape by which we can overcome the temptation. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (I Corinthians 10:13) escaping the tempter's temptations brings us victory and causes him to flee.
Dear Christian, be ready to fight against our enemy. The battle over temptation that I just described must be fought multiple times every day. Prepare yourself for the battle and win victory over Satan for the glory of God!