The Devil on the Run
Gary Waddell • Victory Ministries Middle Tennessee • 2/4/22
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. (Jas 4:6-8)
Can a believer become demon possessed? No.
Can the devil influence a believer? Yes. Often.
You can put the devil on the run but only with the help of GOD.
The devil is powerful however, he will flee from you with the help of God. A definition of ‘flee’ is ‘swift action or movement’ and the Bible reads that if we “resist the devil” he will flee, or 'fly' from us (James 4:6-8). With the help of God, we have control over satan’s influence. We know that his mission is to destroy us. The devil is continually “ . . . seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Pet 5:8) The wicked one will cause us to stumble but as a ‘follower of Christ’, we have been ‘sealed’ with the Holy Ghost who resides in us and there is No room for the devil to abide within. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,” (Eph 1:13).
Sealed: Secure, Permanently encapsulated, or leak proof!
The Bible tells us that we must stay continually prepared. “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked”. (Eph 6:16)
By submitting your life to God daily you are able to make the devil flee from you often as his will is for us to stumble. If we stay away from God's word and the fellowship of believers, we become weak and vulnerable and will be easily led astray by satan. There are many who call themselves ‘Christians’ (Acts 11:26) or ‘believers’ however, they are imposters. The ‘self-examination’ in [2 Cor 13:5] should be made by all. We are powerless against the devil and his minions without God. Jesus said “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47). Verily, verily, means most assuredly. When we received Christ (John 1:12), we were "born again" and became the property of Jesus.
With God we are victorious.
But we must stay focused and submit ourselves to GOD.
I’ll leave you with 5 points:
• Rise Up: First thing in the morning go to your knees in praise and prayer; if you can’t kneel, go to your face on the bed. Thank God for this day and ask for strength, wisdom and direction. Thank Him for the much needed rest and for keeping you through the night.
• Read His Word: Set aside at least ½ hour in His word at least 3 times a day. Ninety minutes is only a mere 6% of the day out of 24 hours. Glorify God in all you do.
• Reach people for Christ: Ask the Lord to make you a loving and willing vessel throughout the day to everyone you meet (Mark 16:15). It's our job. Pray that God uses you to reach the hurting and the lost. Listen a lot more than you speak. Ask God to guard your tongue.
• Rest: As you lie down to sleep, pray God gives you sweet rest for the day ahead. Praise God and rejoice in what Christ has done for you throughout the day. Pray that God gives you a sweet sleep. Pray: that “thy sleep may be sweet” (Pro 3:24).
• Repeat: Everyday.
Thanks for Taking 5" • Gary Waddell • Victory Ministries Middle Tennessee
iamnotashamed.com • God bless and bless GOD