[Biblemat] A) FIGHTING AGAINST SATAN

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Monday 
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is an article that recently came my way:

FIGHTING AGAINST SATAN

     When Jesus lived His life on earth, He was in constant con-
flict with Satan.  After Satan's initial tempting of our Lord, it
is said: "And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he
departed from HIm for a season" (Lk. 4:1).  Satan departed,
but he came back.  So it is for every Christian.  Our lives on 
earth are spent in conflict with our enemy who seeks the des-
truction of our souls.  John wrote to encourage Christians in
their battle by saying: "I write unto you, fathers, because ye
have known Him that is from the beginning.  I write unto you,
young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one.  I 
write unto you, little children, because ye have know the Fat-
her" (1 Jno. 2:13).  We can be successful in overcoming Satan; yet, we must 
never let down our guard.  We cannot
defeat him by ourselves; we must rely on Christ.  Christ did
battle with Satan and was victorious.  The sting of death has
been removed.  "The sting of death is sin; and the strength
of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the
victory through the Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15:57,58).  We
must still remember that the devil has not conceded defeat.
As a roaring lion he seeks to devour us (1 Pet. 5:8).  Yes, Christ promises 
deliverance.  "Submit yourselves therefore
to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (Jas. 4:7).

     The conquest and conflict between Christ and Satan was
predicted long ago.  After the fall of Adam and Eve, God made
a promise that made possible a healing of the ruptured relat-
ionship between the first couple and their Creator.  "And I will
put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy 
seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and though shalt
bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15).  The Messiah, through whom 
would come God's rule of righteousness, did come.  Christ,
the seed of woman, did come and dealt a death-blow to Satan.  The prophet 
Isaiah reiterated the same promise, speaking of the "Prince of peace" (Isa. 
9:6,7).

     Early in the ministry of Jesus, Satan tried to undermine
God's plan for salvation.  Herod murdered the babies in Jeru-
salem.  There were the early temptations in the wilderness.  An enthusiastic 
crowd tried to take Jesus by force to make
Him king.  Even the apostles of Jesus tried to circumvent Jesus' mission as 
the Savior.  "From that time forth began
Jesus to show unto His disciples, how that He must go unto
Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief
priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the
third day.  The Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, say-
ing, Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee"
(Matt. 16:22,23).  Yet, Satan could only retreat.  The demons
were dismissed; sicknesses were healed; even nature obeyed
the voice of our Lord.

     Finally, Jesus came to the cross.  "Now is the judgment of
this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out" (Jno. 12:31).  By 
Jesus' death the final conquest of Satan 
would take place.  Jesus would not be diverted from His miss-
ion.  "Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of
this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me" (Jno. 14:30).  Satan was on his 
way out.  "Of judgment, because the prince
of this world is judged" (Jno. 16:11).  The devil and sin and 
death were destroyed.  He "despoiled" the principalities and
powers.  In apparent weakness, bound hand and foot, sus-
pended between heaven and earth, Jesus could and did resist
sin and Satan, and dethroned them all.  The cross must never
be the object of derision.  It can only be the symbol of victory.        
--------- Randy Harshbarger via. Gospel Power,
Vol. 14, No. 1, Jan. 7, 2007.
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