LIFE of VICTORY - 3

LIFE OF VICTORY – 3

Although Christians can live a life of victory through Jesus, the way that Satan works in our lives to thwart the plans of God has been noted in the past lesson.  Satan roamed the earth in the days of Job (Job 1:7) and he is still doing the same as specified in 1 Pet.5:8.  The occult has become so popular today, but as we identified the meaning and various ways Satan works through the occult, the popularity extends back to the O.T.  Deut.18:10-12

The purpose of this lesson will be to stress the truth of Eph.6:12.  It would be easy to skim over this passage without realizing the danger it imposes on the life of a Christian.  Although we live on this earth in the form of flesh and blood, we do have a spirit unseen.  In order for Jesus to bring salvation to us, He had to become like us in flesh and blood to die for us as an eternal sacrifice.  Phil.2:7,8  

As we accepted Jesus as our redeeming Savior in obedience in faith, we were given the gift of a spirit—the Holy Spirit.  Our fleshly bodies became a temple of this Holy Spirit.  1 Cor.6:19,20   Then we became new in Christ Jesus.  2 Cor.5:17   This Holy Spirit is real.  It helps us in so many ways.  Rom.8:26; Rom.8:13,14  

If we truly realize the certainty of the Holy Spirit, why would we not recognize the truth of rulers of darkness as Satan and his demons.  Eph.6:12   As before mentioned, they do roam the earth and seek to destroy our faithfulness and obedience to our Lord.  We are well aware that Satan entered the Garden and caused Eve to sin in disobedience to God’s one command.  Gen.3:24   God even gave advice to Cain before he killed Abel.  Gen.4:7   From this time, Satan has been seeking whom he may cause to sin—separate themselves from God.  Isa.59:2; 1 Jhn.3:4

Just as there is a Holy Spirit, so we must recognize the fact that there are evil spirits that want to come into our lives to push out the Holy Spirit.  We hear people joke, “The devil made me do it.”  It isn’t a joking matter.  The devil does want to make us disobey but we have a choice.  Joshua made the important choice that we should be ready to make.  Josh.24:15

In this battle between heaven and hell as Satan attempts to win the minds and hearts of men, Paul warns the Ephesian Christians to take a stand against the devil’s schemes.  Eph.6:11   Schemes can be intriguing but deceitful.  We need to be very aware.  If Satan’s schemes were always visible, we might be more successful in combatting them, but they are not flesh and blood. (Eph.2:12)  The main thrust of the battle is against our mind and heart and then it might become evident in flesh.

Paul explains this in 2 Cor.10:3-5.  How our thoughts need to be taken captive in obedience to Christ as we stand against the devil’s schemes.  Remember from our last lesson how Satan is the father of lies; how he disguises himself as an angel of light; how he uses very clever, crafty strategies to entangle us in sin. 

Satan must have been rejoicing when Jesus died on the cross, but Jesus’ victory was soon recognized as He arose from the dead.  Now this victory must be achieved individually by each of us and we overcome temptation set before us.  The “darkness” is outside the life of a Christian.  Eph.5:8,11   Christ has rescued us from the domain of darkness and brought us into His kingdom.  Col.1:13

Even though the goal of Satan is to thwart the plans of God, they still know the existence of God and believe.  They just will not obey.  Jam.2:19   Scripture gives us examples of those possessed of a demon but that demon recognizes Jesus.

One of these examples is in Lk.4:33,34.  A man was possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon; however, that demon recognized Jesus and wanted to be left alone.  Another example is found in Acts 16:16,17.  A slave girl had a spirit of divination and kept following Paul and recognizing that Paul and those with him were servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to the way of salvation.  In both cases they were removed.

Let us obey 1 Thess.5:21 for the one who practices sin if of the devil.  1 Jhn.3:8   Let us be filled with the Spirit,  (Eph.5:18) that we may also walk (live) by the Spirit.  Gal.5:25