The Devil, How To Overcome

He is already defeated.

We have been talking about the Devil. Once called Lucifer, now, he has so many different names. The most common of course is Satan, or simply, the Devil. Call him what you will, just know he is real. He is not some red face, horned head, tail wagging, pitchfork wielding, demon, straight out of your nightmares. He is also not a God. He is an Angel. A fallen one at that. 

We have talked about how he operates. The fact he cannot force you to do anything. Think about this. God Himself, cannot force you to do anything. He has given Man Freewill. He Created us to live in Paradise. We, gave the Authority He gave us, to the Devil himself. God then warned us, attempted to teach us, and ultimately, was force to come and die for us. Yet, we still Sin everyday. If God Himself cannot force us to be good, you can rest assure that the Devil cannot force us to be bad.

All the Devil can really do to you, is tempt you. Whisper in your ear. Put thoughts in your head. Show you things that become desirous. Lie to you and attempt to get you to think that there is nothing wrong with this or that. Remember what Jesus told us? "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." {Matthew 5:28} So we cannot look at each other? Of course we can. But what Jesus is warning us about, is Sinful thought, if left unchecked, will lead to Sinful actions.

If you are Married, and you meet another Woman in a Hotel, you undress her, start caressing her naked body. She yours. You have committed Adultery. That's obvious and clear. Now if you are in the Mall, at Work, School, whatever, and you see a Woman that is attractive, and you undress her, start caressing her naked body. She yours. In your Mind. Jesus tells us that you have already committed "adultery with her already in his heart." Why? What if that Woman came up to you and started flirting. What if she said, I was having a fantasy about you. My place or yours? Chances are, you will see that Sin that started in your Mind, become real in the physical. "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." {James 1:15}

All Sin is, is an invitation. A calling away from God and godliness. Is all Sin deadly? In a matter of speaking, No. If you lie, chances are a lightening bolt is not going to come down from Heaven and strike you dead. However, "For the wages of sin is death," If you actively engage in lies daily, how will you ever know the Truth? Eventually, if you accept lies. You will accept other Sins. You will become numb and ignorant to Sin.

To clear something up, is all Sin equal in God's Eyes? No. If this was so, then Jesus would not have told Pilate "Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." Jesus told Pilate For I have done nothing to expose me to the power of any magistrate. I have not Sinned. I am innocent. Therefore Caiaphas, knowing this, is more blamable than you. He created a greater Sin. There are also degrees of punishment for Sin.

Luke 12:

46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Not all Sin is equal, yet the end result of all Sin is Death. There is only one way to ensure this is not the case in your life, and that is accept the Spirit of Adoption. Accept Jesus's sacrifice for you.Become a Child of God. As we have discussed before, with out this Key. You already belong to the Devil himself. Jesus said "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." {John 3:18}

So, how do you overcome the Devil? Step one, leave his power and control. Without Jesus, you already belong to him. He needs to do nothing. Step one, Pray to God for the forgiveness of your Sins and for the Adoption of the Holy Spirit. Say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is, just that simple. You are now a Child of God. From this moment on, you have been bought, by the price of Blood, Jesus's own Blood. You have know, already won. Now you need to go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

However, now is not the time that the Devil will flee from you. Now you have angered him. Now he will do whatever he can to keep you from leading anyone else away. Remember, even though he is not a god, even though he can not force you to do anything, he is still the "prince of the power of the air"{Ephesians 2:2.} He is the "ruler of this world" {John 12:31}. Let's look again at the temptations of Jesus. This time, focus on how He responds to the Devil.

Matthew 4:

4 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Remember, Jesus told us not to worry about our Physical needs. What we should eat, the cloths on our back. He went into great detail to tell us that these things are hardly important, yet rather "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." {Matthew 6:33} So if the Devil tempts you with Physical Needs, just remember what Jesus told you. Fear not, trust in God, your needs will be met.

5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

This is something you need to fully understand. The Devil knows The Word of God. He was there when it was written. He witnessed the things we read, first hand. He can and will use a twisted version of the Bible to try to convince you, that whatever he is enticing you with, is good. This is why it is so VERY important, that you spend time in The Word. If someone tells me "Why are you wasting your time? Even The Bible says "There is no God."" which it DOES. I can say to them, "The Word actually says "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good."" But if I did not know that it was Psalm 14:1, or more specifically, part of Psalm 14:1 that they were quoting to me, I may believe the lie. 

Whole Religions exist today to attempt to keep people from God. I'll say that again. The World is full of Religions that have been formed to keep people from God. These are the Traditions of Men. World Religions. Religions that Jesus Himself even called out. Make no mistake about it. Religion is NOT Salvation.

8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Ultimately, the most powerful, and easy, temptation the Devil can, and will use, is that of which caused his fall from Grace. It is what caused Man's fall from Grace. It works more often than not. The desire to be god like or a god. It is a quest for power and control. It is also a violation of the first and greatest Commandment.

Exodus 20:

2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

If you think about it Look at the Ten Commandments

Have no God before God.
Do not commit Idolatry.
Thou shall not take the Lord's Name in Vain
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honour thy father and thy mother.
Thou shall not commit Murder
Thou shall not commit Adultery.
Thou shall not Steal.
Thou shall not bare false witness.
Thou shall not covet.

Think on these things and what they truly mean, then look around and see the State of the Country and the World. You tell me that the Devil doesn't know what he is doing. We will revisit this Series soon. But understand that, now, as a Child of God, you need to be prepared for anything that may come.

2 Peter 3:

1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Sorry folks, the truth is, it is going to get much worse. However, the devil is already defeated. Luke wrote,,

Luke 10:

18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Truth is, when you become a Child of God, you now have the same Spirit that raised Christ Himself from the dead. You have no reason to fear ANYTHING. "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Get into The Word. Eat it. Digest it. If you can sing favorite songs, or quote scenes from your favorite movie, you can learn and understand The Word. Peter tells us...

1 Peter 5:

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

This is not new. Whatever you are being tempted with, is not new. Understand that the Devil is real. Understand How he operates. KNOW The Word and Truth according to God. Be steadfast in Faith. And Grow in your one on one relationship with Jesus and God Himself.

The Devil has already lost. You have already won. "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."{Matthew 24:12} How to overcome the Devil? How do you overcome a Liar? Know the Truth. 

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}