Introduction
Two weeks ago, I began a new series which I called “how to live big in your Christian life.” The Scripture that gave me the idea for the series is found in John chapter 10 and is verse 10. “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
I find too many Christians live their lives every which way other than in a big way. Some are timid about their Christianity; some are weak in their Christianity; some are apathetic about their Christianity; some are just angry in their Christianity, and all those ways of living your Christianity are wrong.
We are to live our Christian live big. Jesus said, “live more abundantly.” So, I began to share with you what are those common things that Christian possess that life big. First, they fight hard to keep Christ as the center point of their life. There are things that come into our life that try to take center stage and push Jesus to the back and big living Christians fight to keep Christ as the center.
Secondly, big living Christians stay focus on the mission to bring other to Christ. This world wants to distract us, and our flesh wants to make excuses why we cannot tell others about Christ, but big living Christians overcome those obstacles and share the Good News of Jesus.
Today, we want to examine the third thing that Christians living big seem to have in common. And that is: they live a life that is devil resisting.
Let’s look at our Scripture from Ephesians 6:10-12.
Scripture
Ephesians 6:10–12 (NKJV)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Point #1
Big living Christians, when things come against them, they know the source of their strength.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Let me ask you a question? How well do you do handle problems, I mean big problems, in your own energy and strength? If you are like me not very well at all. And that should come as no surprise to you and me because the Bible instructs us to be “strong in the Lord” which tells us very plainly that our strength is not strong enough for us to handle some problems, and we certainly not good handling any problem that Satan threws our way.
Well, then how do I secure the Lord’s strength to handle my problem. I think it involves two things. First, it involves a letting go of the outcome of the situation. I got to take my hands off. And secondly, I got to put my trust in the only One who can do something about the situation. I got to ask Jesus to put His hands on the situation.
In life, there are situations that occur in our life that are bigger than us. For example, do you realize that anything that the devil throws at you is bigger than you? Don’t ever be fooled into thinking that you can hold your own against the devil. You will lose every time. The devil has power.
The Bible says in Ephesians 2:2 (NKJV)
2 ... the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
That verse is referring to Satan and it tells us plainly that he has “power”. He has strength but it is limited. He is the prince of the power of the air.
The word “power “ in our Scripture from Ephesians 10 is the same word used to describe Satan’s power. The word “power” refers to Jesus’ power except unlike Satan’s power which has an limitation factor “of the air”, Jesus power has no limitation factor. It is His power and His might. Where is the limitation? There is none.
In other words, Satan may be powerful enough to beat us, but He will never beat Jesus. Jesus’ power always wins over Satan’s power. And if we can put our trust in the Lord, we win.
Listen to this Scriptures that talks about Christ’s power.
2 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV)
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ...
How often does he lead us in triumph? Always! I would say that is not bad.
And Christians who live big know how to put their trust in Him.
Point #2
Big living Christians, when things come against them, know who the enemy is.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
In verse 11, it talks about the “wiles” of the devil. It is a word that means craftiness. Do you realize that the devil has been mastering his craftiness since the days of Adam and Eve in the Garden? He was crafty in the Garden but let me tell you over the centuries he has become so skilled at being crafty.
Why do I say that? When the devil brings a problem into existence, he knows how to put the blame on something or someone other than himself. He is a master at not taking responsibility for the problem. My family member is just plain down right mean to me. It is not a problem between you and the family member, Satan has gotten in there and he is creating the conflict between the two family members. If both family members can bring the issue to the Lord, it would be resolved.
Someone who has been going to a church for a while, leaves, and starts saying that church is not loving, I don’t want anything to do with it. The conflict is not between that person and that particular church. Somewhere in that conflict, the devil is doing something. If the church would reach out to that person and that person would reach out to that church and come together in prayer that problem could be resolved.
But this is what I do know, the devil never wants you to bring Jesus into a relational conflict because the devil knows that if Jesus gets involved, relationships would be restored.
Do not think Satan causes only relational conflicts. Satan causes much more than that. He can cause physical problems. I believe that those who are addicted to drugs, it was Satan that had a hand in introducing that person to drugs. Look at the outcome of drugs- lives are destroyed; families are broken up; the addict might end up in jail- that is Satan’s kind of work. But if you ask the user why you started using and you will always hear some other reason other than Satan.
Satan can cause mental problems. He knows exactly what will cause you to worry and have anxiety. It is reported that 70% of the people that go to the General Practitioner are suffering from anxiety. People always blame their anxiety on what they are worrying about; I never hear Satan is doing this to me.
If you are going to fight a battle- you better know who your enemy is. And those Christians that live big know that there enemy is Satan.
Point #3
Big living Christians, when things come against them, the first thing they do is check if they are fully dressed for the battle.
11 Put on the whole armor of God...
A call comes into the fire department that there is a five alarm fire. It is a big one. The first thing that they do is get fully dressed for the conflict before they rush out to their engines and on to the fire.
A call comes into the police department that there is a sniper is town. The swat team gets the message and the first thing that they do is get on the gear to do battle before they get into their vehicles and race to the scene.
A Christian faces a crisis in his or her life. They rush at the problem never checking to see if that are fully dressed for the battle. God says put on the whole armor.
Let me suggest to you, if you are facing some kind of problem before you do anything, you come to Ephesians 6: 13-18 and you read each verse carefully and you make sure that you have each and every piece of equipment on before you go out to do battle.
Suppose the firefighter forgot to put on his oxygen tank, he is going into the fire fight not prepared. Suppose the swat member forgot his bullet proof vest, he is going into the conflict not prepared.
And God tells us put on the full armor of God. You leave out one of those items out that God says we need for battle then you will be ill prepared for the battle.
Christians living big know that they need to check if they have on the full armor of God.
Conclusion
How to resist the devil:
1. Know I cannot do it on my own. I need Jesus.
2. Know that the devil is probably behind my problem.
3. Make sure I am fully dressed for the battle.
