HOW TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST THE DEVIL
.James 4:7 says, "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
1. The first step is to surrender my life to God.
Before you can ever expect to win the war against satan, you must settle the Lordship issue.
That means two things to two different groups of people;
if you’re here tonight and you’ve never made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life, you need to do so! Don’t put it off any longer! It’s the best decision you’ll ever make.
Because everyone of us enter this world the same way.
First I’ll give you the bad news and then I’ll give you the good news
The bad news is: We are all born into the world with an enemy who is right there, ready and waiting to kill, steal and destroy us. Jesus tells us this in John 10. Isn’t that the pits? I mean here we are, this beautiful, precious, innocent, little, bundle of joy...we’ve never even had the chance to do anything wrong to anybody...AND WE ALREADY HAVE ENEMIES!!!
The good news is: We are all also born into the world with a Savior! Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, is the One and only champion and victor over the enemy of our souls, satan. He alone has power over the evil one. So the only way we can be safe is to run to Jesus!
A side note to parents: For many of you, I’m sure that it’s hard to imagine that your precious, little angel could have any enemies. But it is true! And it’s up to you to stay submitted to God, resisting the devil in your own life and commanding him and his evil servants to flee from your children. You are their protective covering until they are old enough to understand and submit their lives to God themselves.
So in order to win the war against the devil, you must submit your life to God. You must be born again!
But before we move on, I have to at least mention the Lordship issue a little further.
Because I’ve seen too many Christians over the years, who have been born again, but still do not have victory over the devil.
We’ve all heard many Christians quote James 4:7, but many times they leave out the most important half of that verse. You’ve heard it again and again, "Resist the devil and he will flee...resist the devil and he will flee..." but that’s only half true.
The only way that we have the ability to resist him and the authority to make him flee, is when we are living lives totally submitted to God!
In other words, if you’re a Christian, but you’re living in sin, don’t think for a minute that you can just quote James 4:7 "resist the devil and he will flee" and that he’s going to run for you. It simply doesn’t work that way.
Because if you’re living in sin (whether it’s adultery, pornography, gossip, anger, envy, jealousy, greed, murmurring...complaining...any disobedience to God) YOU HAVE GIVEN SATAN AN OPENING INTO YOUR LIFE AND YOU HAVE GIVEN UP YOUR AUTHORITY OVER HIM IN CHRIST.
It is startling to think that Satan can actually come into the heart of a man in such close touch with Jesus as Judas was. And more--he is cunningly trying to do it today. Yet he can get in only through a door opened from the inside. "Every man controls the door of his own life." Satan can’t get in without our help.
S.D. Gordon
WE MUST SETTLE THE LORDSHIP ISSUE EVERY MORNING BEFORE WE EVEN GET OUT OF THE BED AND KEEP IT SETTLED ALL DAY LONG UNTIL WE RETURN TO THE BED AGAIN. AMEN.
Being submitted to God simply means this: IF JESUS IS LORD, I’M NOT.
Therefore, I lay down every right I ever thought I had and I submit myself to His Lordship. I say, "okay Jesus, You are in control, You are the boss of my life, You and You alone have the right to call the shots and determine the path of my life.
Submitting to God means He is Lord and He is in control of everything in my life. My only responsibility is to keep my eyes on Him, to love, honor and serve Him all the days of my life.
" let God work His will in you. Yell out a loud NO to the devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and He’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet."
James 4:7- (The Message)
If we’re going to win the war against satan, we’ve got to get serious and quit playing games with our Christianity.
I believe that one of the callings on my life is to constantly warn God’s people and remind them again of the battle that is continually raging in the spirit realm. And because of that, one of the key passages of Scripture for my life is 1 Peter 5:8-9, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." (NKJ)
2. The second step is to resist the devil!
Resist him! Peter says Watch out! Stay focused! Stay on the Alert! Beware! B/C your adversary, the enemy of your soul, the one whom Jesus says has come to steal, kill and destroy you...is always on the prowl!
Picture this: Peter says he’s like a relentless, hungry, devouring lion who is always on the lookout for prey. So I want you to close your eyes and get a picture in your mind of satan as described in this passage of scripture. Picture in your mind a big, scary, hungry, angry, roaring lion that is pacing and walking around and around you. You got it? Do you have a picture of that brute beast in your mind? He’s walking around and around and around you day and night, night and day, relentlessly roaring in an attempt to wear you down. You see he stays on you continually waiting, hoping and looking for an opportunity to devour. That’s what satan is like. He nevers gives up! That’s why we must never give up!
We must not pay [Satan] reverence, for that would be indiscreet, but we can at least respect his talents. A being who has, for untold centuries, maintained the imposing position of spiritual head of four-fifths of the human race, and political head of the whole of it, must be granted the possession of executive abilities of the loftiest order. Mark Twain
HOW TO RESIST THE DEVIL IN YOUR LIFE
1. AGGRESSIVELY RESIST HIM AT THE ONSET.
Satan devours people little by little If you are not going to be devoured you must resist him at step one
Many people don’t even realize that it’s the devil devouring them until it’s all over.
How many of you have sat around for 2 or 3 days being depressed and then finally realized, "oh, this must be the devil."
OR you sat around for 2 or 3 days thinking negative, critical thoughts and after you’re quite miserable long enough, you say, "oh, this must be the devil."
WE NEED TO WISE UP! JESUS SAID BE AS WISE AS SERPENTS! REALIZE WHEN THE DEVIL IS ATTACKING OR EVEN BETTER, WHEN HE’S APPROACHING.
Decide that you’re not going to put up with it any more. I’m not putting up with 5 seconds of negativism, with 5 minutes of depression, I don’t have time for it, I don’t have time to wallow around in self-pity...we must realize that self-pity is not of God, it is of the devil! Confusion is not of God...it is of the devil! Depression, negative, critical thoughts...are not of God, they are of the devil! SO RESIST HIM!!! When these things try to come on us, we must refuse to bow our knee to satan and instead resist him and he will flee!
Sometimes you have to get mad, stomp your feet and shout at the devil! Let him know you’re not putting up with it anymore!
Get your eyes on Jesus, quit looking to the right or the left. IF you’re depressed, confused, discouraged or hurt b/c of what somebody else has done or is doing, you need to get your eyes off of them and get them on Jesus.
We have to be knowledgeable of satan’s tactics.
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge
Satan isn’t going to come and announce that it’s him. That’s why we must be knowledgeable about his character and tactics.
He doesn’t show up and tap us on the should and say, "hey, kelly, it’s me, satan and I’m here to bring strife in your home...here I come, ready or not, I’m gonna get ya! I’m bringing depression and discouragement your way..."
That means you don’t wait until you’re headed to divorce court, to resist the devil YOU RESIST HIM AT THE ONSET! The first time he comes to you with negative thoughts and complaints against your spouse, you RESIST HIM!
You don’t wait until you’re in the depths of depression to resist him, YOU RESIST HIM WHEN THOSE FIRST DISCOURAGING THOUGHTS BEGIN TO CLOUD YOUR VIEW! You don’t wait until you find yourself in an adulterous affair to resist the devil, YOU RESIST HIM WHEN THOSE FIRST LUSTFUL FEELINGS COME AT YOU!
2. LIVE BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT.
Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38 all declare that "the just shall live by faith."
You can’t live by your feelings, emotions and circumstances if you want to win the war against satan.
Don’t be moved by what you see, feel or hear! Live by faith in the Word of God alone!
The way to increase your faith is to increase your intake of the Word of God.
There is only one thing we can live by and that is the Word of God! If the Bible says God is going to meet all my needs then He will! IF the devil comes and puts thoughts in my mind that HE won’t, I have to choose who I am going to believe, God or satan.
WE are constantly and continually choosing to listen to God or satan, to bow to God or satan...satan will come with arguments, theories and reasonings on why God’s Word may have worked for others, but it won’t work for you. 2 Cor 10:4-5
PULL THEM DOWN! CAST THEM DOWN! BRING THEM INTO CAPTIVITY TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST!
HE is a liar and the father of lies he will always lie to you and bring thoughts, feelings and circumstances to you that are contrary to God’s Word.
That’s why we must know the Word and believe the Word! Exalt the Word above what you think or feel!
WE don’t always feel like it, but we don’t live by what we feel, the JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH!!!
Will God meet my needs...does God love me...has God really forgiven me...does God condemn me...will God really take care of me? Well, what does the Word say about it? Are you going to live by faith or by feelings?
3. BE A FULLY DEVOTED FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.
If you want to be able to resist the devil and win the war against satan in your life, be a fully devoted follower of Christ! Don’t be a lukewarm, complacent, nominal Christian.
Commit yourself to the habits of a fully devoted follower of Christ.
Be a...
Person of Prayer ~ spend time with God daily
Person of the Word ~ spend time in His word daily
Person of Praise and Worship ~ offer up praise to Him continually
Person who puts Him first in your finances ~ be a tither (he rebukes the devourer)
Person who loves others ~ Believers and Unbelievers
Person who serves God by serving others ~ when you’ve done it unto the least of these...
A half-hearted, half-devoted, lukewarm Christian will never win the war against satan in his or her life.
Anybody can get free and stay free if they will commit their life completely to God and to these habits.
4. NEVER GIVE UP.
Just hearing a message on how to defeat the devil isn’t going to keep the devil off your back
You must know what the Word says and then do it!
It’s not always easy! Sometimes it’s very hard, sometimes we get very weary and tired of the battle and want to give up. But our adversary...
THE DEVIL ABSOLUTELY NEVER GIVES UP!!!
THEREFORE, I’M NEVER GOING TO GIVE UP!!!
Winston Churchhill "never, never, never quit."
If you’re looking for a place where you won’t have to do warfare anymore, FORGET IT! IT AIN’T GONNA HAPPEN!
On mon...tues...wed...gotta resist him...don’t get a day off! 24/7 365 days a year!!!
Luke 4:13
13 When the devil had ended all the temptations, he left Jesus for a while and went away.
(TLB)
Satan does not give up. He may back off for a while, but he will return! So watch out! Be on the alert! Satan looks for every opportunity.
It’s TIME THAT WE START KNOWING THE ENEMY!!!! And resisting him when he comes.
