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.
For the past two days we have been discussing the Victory over sin every born-again believer in Christ can have. We also have been discussing the sin nature that we are all born with, due to the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden.
Some are asking, if Jesus defeated Satan and his demons on the Cross at Calvary, how can they still attack the believer? This is a good question and I will attempt to bring the answer from the Word of God.
Most of the New Testament is devoted to the subject: How To Live A Life Pleasing To God. Every born again believer in Christ hates sin and wants to live their life pleasing to God. Everyone struggles with this because of the sin nature. Even the great Apostle Paul said, For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. (Romans 7:15) He went on to explain that although he loved Jesus with all his heart, the sin nature was alive and well within him. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. (Romans 7:18) He repeats this same thing again in Verse 20.
All the Disciples and Paul knew and understood that Jesus defeated every demon from Hell on the Cross of Calvary. They also knew that while He DEFEATED them, He did not destroy them from existence. They still exist and operate in the world today. Jesus destroyed the POWER they have over every believer who will place their faith in Him and His Work on the Cross.
Allow me to make this analogy. America has fought wars against Communism. We have defeated that enemy, BUT Communism still exists in the world today. We did not destroy Communism; we destroyed the POWER it had over our nation. We pushed it back off our shores and away from our people. We will not tolerate Communism in America, PERIOD!
There is a faction in America today that is trying to bring Communism to the forefront once again, and we may have to rise up and fight against it again. These people do not call themselves Communists. They are disguising themselves as Progressives, Socialists, or Liberals. It doesn’t matter what they call themselves; they agree with the principles of Communism. Therefore, they are Communists, and they are prowling around America seeking whom they can devour.
The Christian's fight against Satan and his demons is exactly the same. The sin nature is in us just as Communists are in America. We can give over to it, or we can stand in the Victory Jesus won on our behalf two thousand years ago on the Cross of Calvary. That was the battleground, and at that moment in time, He won the Victory over the evil one, for us.
Satan will disguise himself as good exactly like Communists disguise themselves as Liberals. He has the ability to infiltrate our minds and cause us to think things that are ungodly. Paul said, And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (2 Corinthians 11:14)
Jesus’ Victory is our Victory IF we choose to BELIEVE it and place our faith in it. We can absolutely live in Victory over sin, but we must always be on guard because the enemy is still there. We will not be totally free from the sin nature until the Lord calls us home to be with Him.
Communism is alive and well, but it will not rule the lives of the American people because we understand the freedom we have. Likewise, the enemy is also alive and well, but it will not have dominion over us if we understand the Freedom Christ won for us on the Cross of Calvary. That is the Victory we have in Jesus, and Him Crucified! Hallelujah!
Faith in Christ and Him Crucified will………turn the tide .……….in your life.
Victory is mine! Doreen
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