Be Impressed With God
Hebrews 2:14-15: Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
Even when situations seemingly contrived by evil forces arise, we must be aware of the enemy, but impressed with God - never the other way around. When a church, for example, began helping former warlocks and witches, a church elder suffered a broken marriage, another had a heart attack, and a third nearly had a nervous breakdown.
Concerned that his people were in over their heads, the pastor asked a respected teacher of spiritual warfare to reconsider his teaching and counsel. Out of respect for this pastor, the teacher prayed and searched the Scriptures again. But he could find nothing in the Scriptures that said we would be at the mercy of evil forces if we challenged the devil. Instead, the Bible says more than 50 times, "Fear not. Do not be afraid!" Psalm 23:4 says, "I will fear no evil, for you are with me."
Satan loves to frighten people. Fear grows in the absence of knowing who God is. When we stand in the knowledge of God's greatness and His authority over all things, including Satan, we can be confident in God's awesome power and love for us. Satan is a created being who rebelled against God. God is greater than Satan, and God dwells within us.
1 John 4:4: You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
We can be effective in spiritual warfare, balanced and free from fear, by placing our confidence in our omnipotent Protector.*
Food for thought: What fears keep you from living a life of spiritual warfare? Are you willing to examine those fears in the light of Scripture?
Further Reading:
Luke 10:17-20: "The seventy-two returned with joy and said, 'Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.' 18He replied, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.'"
1 Corinthians 15:54-58: "When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory. 55Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
2 Timothy 1:7: "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline."
*Sherman, Dean. Spiritual Warfare for Every Christian: How to Love in Victory and Retake the Land: YWAM Publishing, 1990.
