Ranting At The Devil

Jude 1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Heard a TV preacher that I have heard before, but this time he let loose a long tirade against satan calling him all sorts of names before rebuking him. This passage came to mind. If the Michael can only say the Lord rebuke thee I am sure we cannot say much more. I would be careful about songs that say, "C'mon everybody let's beat on the devil." While he is defeated he is not without power and having a flippant attitude about him will only get you in trouble.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

If you are not properly submitted an arrogant attempt to resist the devil could well end up as badly as it did for the seven sons of Sceva. Yes, they were unsaved, but being in the flesh attempting spiritual warfare will do little for you as well.

Resist in His power under His submission is not going to be in a rant. Ranting may make "exciting" preaching, but it is a dangerous thing to the preacher and the ones he is teaching. Jesus was very calm when He cast out demons and He had the right to rant and call the demons names.

We have no power against satan except what Christ gives through the Word and the Spirit. I cannot recall Jesus or any of the Apostles using such rants and tirades. They commanded the demons to come out, but did not call names and such. The 70 rejoiced that they came out, but it was because Jesus gave them authority to do so and we are not told how they handled that, but if Jesus did not call names it is unlikely they did.

Jesus asked the name of those in the demoniac and Legion was the answer. In no example of casting out demons do we have an example of a rant. I would strongly caution against it. It indicates doing something in the flesh and having the appearance of being a false prophet. If you are not a false prophet you may have been poorly taught and you should seek forgiveness if you have done the rant and tirade.

His power needs no added emphasis or drama. He speaks and it happens.