Have you ever listened to people in church during a casual conversation? Many times what I have heard is not them talking about the victories that they are having in Christ, but instead they are talking about what the devil is doing in their lives. I often hear things such as “Oh, that old devil, he’s just having a hey-day in my life.”, “he’s just sifting me as he sifted Job.”, or “I guess I’m just his target this week.”
These are not statements of victory, and they are not even truly scriptural for the kind of life that we as believers should be living in Christ Jesus today.
That’s why in this study, we will be examining what the Bible says regarding our reality today in Christ, and the truth of the defeated status of the enemy. By exposing the common lies being propagated among believers and shining the light of Christ on how utterly beaten the enemy truly is, we will be able to have confidence against the devil, instead of fear.
When someone mentions demons, the devil or Satan, how do you react? Do you become fearful? Or do you have confidence in your stance and position? It’s important to know the power that we have in Christ, otherwise we will never have to surety to stand against the enemy in faith. So let’s begin our study by looking at the rights that we have in Christ, and the main right of authority and power that we have in Christ Jesus today as believers, is the use of His Name. Why is the name of Jesus important to us as far as authority and power is concerned? First let’s read Luke 10:17-19:
“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject to us through your name.
And he said to them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Behold, I give to you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
This is the authority and power that the name of Jesus carries, all of the same authority and power of Jesus Himself! So by Him giving us His Name, He has given us the authority to speak with His authority! This is a very sobering responsibility, but a wonderful promise and reality also. We can read plainly in verse 17 that the demons (devils) are subject to us through the name of Jesus, and also in verse 19 we read that Jesus has given us power to tread over all the power of the enemy, and on top of it all, nothing shall by any means hurt us.
Now some say that this was just for the seventy, but the Bible is very clear on the fact that we have a four-fold right to use the name of Jesus as believers today. Many people (including Christians) are uncomfortable with the term “born again” today, feeling as though it is archaic and outdated. However the term born again was quite deliberately chosen by the Holy Spirit to be used in the scriptures – God knows exactly what He is doing – and being born again carries with it a wonderful promise and a right to use the name of Jesus – because our first right to use His Name, is the fact that when we are born into the family of God as His children, and as such, we have the right to use His name. John 1:12-13:
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
The word “power” in verse 12, in the Greek text means privilege and delegated influence. We can also see from these verses that this is not for the seventy only but for as many as received Him (Jesus), and even to them that believe on His name. No matter which way you slice it, it is referring to us today.
In John 14:12-14, Jesus confirms this Himself:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to my Father.
And whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”
Our second right to the name of Jesus, is through baptism. We can read this in Galatians 3:27:
“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”.
To which the phrase “put on” hardly does the Greek text justice, because the Greek phrasing here means to sink into something as one sinks into a garment, and be endued with power.
Do you see the richness there? Think of it as a royal cloak.
Also, Romans 6:3-4:
“Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
This “newness of life” is renewal. Renewal to the former glory and power that Adam had before sin entered. Renewal to the perfect right-standing and relationship with God – unbroken and unfettered by anything.
Thirdly, we have a legal right to use the name of Jesus – as He has given us unqualified power of attorney to use His Name in John 15:16:
“You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
And also in John 16:23:
“And in that day you shall ask me nothing. Truly, truly, I say to you, Whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.”
Fourth, we have a royal charge as ambassadors to use the name of Jesus in Mark 16:17-18:
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
So these verses along with the verses of Luke 10:17-19 which we read at the start of this study, we can very plainly see the rights which we have to use the name of Jesus, and the absolute power that His name carries—also in Philippians 2:10.
Now the name of this study is “The Enemy is Not What He Used to Be”, and already you should have a wellspring of confidence beginning to rise up inside of you from the knowledge of the authority that you have in Christ. However there are still some wrong beliefs that have become quite popular, even inside the church body that must also be dealt with… one of the most popular being that the enemy is getting more powerful as time goes on and we get closer to the end of the age. Indeed, it may sometimes seem that way, however this belief is not actually scriptural at all. So, let’s take a look at what the Bible says on this subject, in Colossians 2:15:
“And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
We can see that Jesus Christ has already spoiled principalities and powers. These are the spirits and forces of the enemy that we are said to wrestle against in Ephesians 6:12.
The word “spoil” used in this verse means to disarm. And not only did Christ disarm them, but He made a show of them openly, which means a public humiliation of the enemy. So if Christ has disarmed the enemy forces completely, then why are we still wrestling against them and why does it seem like such a hard struggle? I’ll tell you, it’s because many people have not yet realized the truth that Satan’s only weapon is deception, if he can get you to believe his lies and steal your focus away from Christ Jesus, then he will gain victory. However if you remain steadfast against him and stay rooted and grounded in the truth of the Gospel, then the enemy has no other weapon to turn to. He is impotent. Take a look at 1st Corinthians 2:4-6:
“And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
However, we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nothing”
I’m am so glad that verse 4 says that Paul’s preaching was not with clever or enticing words, but in demonstrations of the Spirit and of power. For what reason? That our faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Clearly this can not be ethereal spiritualism, but clear outward manifestations of God’s power. In verse 6, we see that in contrast with the power of God, the princes of this world are coming to nothing! Which in the Greek text means “being rendered idle and totally ineffective!”
So we can see that the enemy is not growing stronger with time, but has already been defeated and is actually shrinking in strength down to nothing!
Now another common misconception is that Satan is on the attack and that we as believers are always on the defensive. This is the thinking of the world, that good never attacks first and evil is always the aggressor. But look at what Jesus says in Matthew 16:18:
“And I say also to you, That you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Now it would’ve made no sense for Jesus to tell Peter what his own name was, but Jesus is using some clever wordplay here. Peter had just finished proclaiming that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, in verse 16. Jesus was not saying that He would build His church on Peter the man, but on the foundation of the knowledge that Jesus was the Christ, the Redeemer, the Savior, the One who gives us all of this authority and power which we have been studying about today. In Greek, Jesus said:
You are Peter (petros – “little rock”) and upon this Rock (petra –”large rock”) I will build my church.
The realization that Jesus is indeed the Christ is the foundation upon which everything else is built. And look at the result: the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Jesus gives us a big clue here. Look at this sentence, and see the detail… Gates are not an instrument for attack, but defense. No-one ever attacks with gates – but gates are something that are overrun when the attacking force is too great. Jesus was in-essence saying here that His Church should actually be attacking the enemy – healing the sick, casting out demons, spreading the Good News of His Kingdom, and as we do this, the gates (defenses) of hell will not prevail against us.
The church has become far too timid and fearful of the enemy, without cause.
There is so much more I could share with you on this topic, but as we are almost out of time for today, allow me to share with you one more passage of scripture. Turn with me to Isaiah 14:16-17:
“They that see you shall narrowly look on you, and consider you, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?”
These verses are describing a scene in Heaven, where for a moment we will look down into hell and see Satan as he really is, in all of his defeat and weakness; the small and pathetic thing that he is. We will marvel at his weakness and say “Is *this* the one that made the earth tremble…?” In-essence we will say “That’s it?!”
The enemy is really not a big bad monster, but a weak and pathetic liar, a schemer who can only manipulate us through illusions and false-hoods. Once we truly realize our power in Christ Jesus and the supreme authority that we have over all of the forces of the enemy, the enemy is exposed for how weak he truly is… and we will begin truly walking in the victory which Jesus Christ has given us.
So I pray that this study today has encouraged you to step-into your New Nature in Christ and that you begin using your God-given authority over the enemy. Give Jesus the praise!