REAL LIFE! – Believe Series: Week Nine
Existence of Satan & Evil
And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
Revelation 12:10-11 (ESV)
Let me mention two truths right at the onset:
- Satan is real!
- Satan is NOT as powerful or equal with God!
Yes, Satan is the accuser. Peter uses the analogy of a “roaring lion” to describe him. While Satan is completely against God and the people of God, he has already lost the war.
When Jesus rose from the dead after paying the penalty for our sins he proved that sin has no hold upon those who place their trust in Him. Therefore, while Satan can create division in relationships and wreak havoc in this world, the blood of Jesus refutes his work!
In order to understand how Jesus does this, we must understand a couple truths:
- There is something bigger going on than just what is seen!
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:10-12 (ESV)
It is hard to imagine that which we cannot see, but it does not diminish the truth that Satan and demons are fighting a battle against God, his people, and his angels.
We may not know how it works in every detail but it is there. Why is this important to know?
- Only God can solve our problems.
The answer to our relational problems does not lie in the latest and greatest self-help book. The answer lies in God and his plan of salvation.
If we cannot exist in the spiritual realm we must rely on the one who is Spirit. That person is God. He can overcome the forces of evil that wage war in our homes, workplaces and schools.
This is not to say that every relational problem is because of Satan. We do a pretty darn good job in our flesh creating problems without him. Yet, some issues can be chalked up directly to Satan.
In those moments we must pray and put on the full armor of God. If you haven’t noticed, prayer is a very important thing in our lives as Believers. We need to pray for everything. Especially when we face attacks in our relationships. What do we pray for? How do we know it’s Satan, our flesh or someone else’s sinful desires? We pray until one of three things happen:
- The situation changes for God’s glory and will.
- The person(s) change
- We change